Pashinyan expects Armenia–Azerbaijan business ties as peace process advances

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he expects business ties with Azerbaijan to emerge soon, describing economic engagement as key to consolidating peace between the two countries.

Speaking while presenting his ruling Civil Contract party’s 2026 election programme, Pashinyan said the “institutionalisation of peace” between Armenia and Azerbaijan was already under way and had developed a formal legal basis.

He pointed to progress since 2024, including the delimitation and demarcation of sections of the state border in Armenia’s Tavush region, as well as the signing and ratification of regulations governing the joint work of Armenian and Azerbaijani border commissions.

Those agreements, he said, enshrine the Alma-Ata Declaration as the guiding principle for border delimitation, meaning both sides recognise each other’s territories along the borders of their former Soviet republics.

Pashinyan also highlighted developments in 2025, including the initialling of a bilateral peace agreement and the Washington Declaration, which set out principles for normalisation and the reopening of regional transport routes.

Priority steps

Looking ahead, he outlined steps to deepen the peace process.

These include continuing border delimitation, implementing transport connectivity initiatives under the so-called TRIPP framework agreed with the United States in January 2026, and finalising and ratifying the peace agreement between the two countries.

Beyond formal agreements, Pashinyan stressed the importance of broader engagement between societies.

“Contacts between civil society and business community representatives, bilateral trade, and political, cultural, and humanitarian dialogue are important tools for institutionalising peace,” he said.

He added that some of these processes were already taking shape, noting early signs of limited trade and growing civil society interaction.

“I hope and am convinced that business ties will also be established in the near future, which is one of the key means and tools for institutionalising peace,” Pashinyan said.

Azerbaijan's stance

Azerbaijani officials have also emphasised the economic and strategic benefits of normalising ties, arguing that a final peace agreement would unlock regional trade routes and boost connectivity across the South Caucasus.

• Over 1,000 tons of Russian grain en route to Armenia via Azerbaijan
• Azerbaijan ships 4,500 tonnes of diesel fuel to Armenia in new delivery

Baku has prioritised the unblocking of transport links, including routes connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave, as part of wider internationally backed initiatives.

Signs of normalisation have already emerged, with Azerbaijan resuming limited fuel shipments to Armenia after decades, signalling progress towards economic co-operation.

Tags

News Politics Azerbaijan Armenia Regional peace Normalisation process Business relations Economy South Caucasus Alma-Ata Declaration Washington accords