AZE.US
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have agreed to continue direct bilateral contacts aimed at advancing the peace process, normalizing interstate relations and strengthening regional connectivity.
The agreement was reached during talks in Bishkek on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, according to a statement on the meeting cited by Report.
The talks went beyond political declarations, with the two leaders discussing concrete economic, trade, energy and transportation issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Oil Products, Grain Transit and Trade
The leaders highlighted the export of Azerbaijani petroleum products to Armenia, the transit of grain and other goods from third countries to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, and the establishment of bilateral trade ties as tangible examples of the “peace dividends” emerging from the normalization process.
Aliyev and Pashinyan also welcomed contacts between the two countries’ business communities and exchanged views on opportunities to further expand mutually beneficial economic, trade and energy cooperation.
The discussions indicate that Baku and Yerevan are increasingly moving the normalization process beyond political negotiations toward practical economic and transportation cooperation.
Next Steps on TRIPP
Another major focus of the Bishkek meeting was the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
Aliyev and Pashinyan discussed the next practical steps toward implementing the project and emphasized the importance of connectivity projects along the route.
TRIPP was one of the key outcomes of the August 8, 2025 Washington Peace Summit.
During their Bishkek meeting, the two leaders again emphasized the historic significance of the Washington agreements, including the Joint Declaration signed by Aliyev and Pashinyan in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the initialing of the agreed text of the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Border Delimitation to Continue
Aliyev and Pashinyan also discussed the delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border.
The leaders stressed the important role of the respective state commissions and emphasized the need for them to continue their work in accordance with agreements already reached between the two countries.
They also positively assessed confidence-building contacts involving parliamentarians and civil society representatives, noting their contribution to strengthening mutual trust and supporting the broader peace agenda.
At the conclusion of the talks, Aliyev and Pashinyan agreed to continue steps toward consolidating sustainable peace, advancing the normalization of interstate relations and strengthening connectivity through direct bilateral engagement.
The Bishkek meeting is significant because the Azerbaijan-Armenia dialogue is increasingly focused not only on the formal peace process, but also on its practical consequences: trade, energy supplies, transit routes and new regional infrastructure.
AZE.US