Pashinyan Meets with Aliyev, India’s Modi at Bishkek Summit

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday held separate meetings with the leaders of Azerbaijan and India on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. As previously reported, Pashinyan will meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Pashinyan’s meeting with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan focused on implementing the so-called Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. The two leaders also pledged to continue talks regarding a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Pashinian and Aliyev reportedly stressed the importance of projects related to transport connectivity in the region that emanate from the framework of the TRIPP initiative.

The two leaders also emphasized the role of their respective state commissions on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the importance of continuing their work in line with agreements reached between the two countries.

“Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev agreed, through direct bilateral engagement, to continue the steps to further consolidate lasting peace, advance the normalization of interstate relations, and strengthen connectivity,” the statement said.

Both sides highlighted the export of Azerbaijani petroleum products to Armenia, the transit through Azerbaijan to Armenia of grain and other goods originating in third countries, and the establishment of trade relations between the two countries as “important practical manifestations of the dividends of peace.”

Pashinian and Aliyev also welcomed contacts between business communities of their two countries and discussed opportunities for expanding “mutually beneficial” economic, trade and energy cooperation.

The two leaders also positively assessed confidence-building contacts involving parliamentarians and civil society representatives, saying they “contribute to strengthening mutual trust and supporting the broader peace agenda.”

Pashinyan also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and discussed the growing relations between their two countries. The meeting comes weeks after a visit by India’s defense minister to Armenia, where key memoranda of understanding was signed to bolster the mutual development of military and technology.

According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Pashinyan and Modi discussed issues related to the development of cooperation in the fields of economy, technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, education, infrastructure, investments and tourism.

The parties also exchanged views on other issues of regional importance. In particular, they touched upon the implementation of the TRIPP project.

Pashinyan extended an invitation to Modi to visit Armenia.