Pashinyan Addresses Captive Issue, Border Talks, and TRIPP Timeline in Parliament

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke in parliament on Wednesday, touching on a wide range of national and regional issues, from the fate of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan to border delimitation, peace negotiations, and infrastructure projects.

POWs and Peace Process

Pashinyan said that Armenia has an answer regarding the issue of Armenian citizens held in captivity — that the government continues to work on this matter daily. He said that a peaceful and favorable environment between Armenia and Azerbaijan would help make progress on this sensitive issue.

According to Pashinyan, peace is the main path to resolving all other problems. He said that flexibility and consistency in Armenia’s approach remain central to advancing national interests, even as negotiations continue with Azerbaijan.

Ardzvashen Enclave and Border Delimitation

The Prime Minister also addressed concerns over the Ardzvashen enclave, stressing that no concrete agreements have been reached on possible scenarios for its future. He said that Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and any decisions regarding territories must reflect the will of Armenia’s citizens.

Pashinyan reiterated that border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be based on the Alma-Ata Declaration, restoring the territorial outlines recognized at the time of the Soviet Union’s dissolution. He explained that while discussions are ongoing about different approaches, no territorial exchange or adjustment can take place without public consent.

Relations With the Church

Pashinyan also commented on his planned visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He said he would go when he feels “sufficiently spiritually purified” and described the ongoing process as a dialogue between the government, society, and God.

He confirmed that he intends to continue attending church liturgies and that he has outlined an agenda concerning the possible resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

Negotiations and Transparency

Responding to claims from Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister that Armenia had shifted its position during Nagorno-Karabakh talks, Pashinyan firmly stated that he has never said anything in private negotiations that contradicted his public statements. He said that since 2018, all of his positions and policy changes have been publicly expressed and transparent.

The Prime Minister also addressed the issue of territorial control, saying that both Armenia and Azerbaijan currently occupy parts of each other’s territories. He said that proper border delimitation is necessary to draw clear and legally recognized boundaries.

2018 Revolution Conversations

Pashinyan recalled his 2018 discussions with former Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan during the Armenian revolution. He revealed that Karapetyan, acting on behalf of then-President Serzh Sargsyan, had tried to persuade him to stop the protest movement in exchange for his release from detention.

According to Pashinyan, Karapetyan initially proposed to take power as a compromise candidate, which Pashinyan rejected. Later, Karapetyan suggested that Sargsyan was willing to resign after the Francophonie Summit, and later in June, but Pashinyan refused both offers, insisting on an immediate resignation.

He also dismissed reports that he was offered a position in Sargsyan’s government, saying there were no such discussions. Pashinyan added that he declined offers from foreign ambassadors to mediate during the revolution, stating that Armenia’s internal political matters should not depend on external involvement.

The Prime Minister said he would look into whether his conversation with Karapetyan at the National Security Service detention facility had been recorded.

Publication of Negotiation Documents

Pashinyan announced that Armenia will publish the documents of the Artsakh peace negotiations after the OSCE Minsk Group is formally dissolved by the end of the year. He explained that once the organization no longer exists, the political and moral barriers to publication will disappear.

The documents, he said, will include proposals from 2016 and reveal the content of previous negotiations. According to him, all earlier peace proposals were designed to limit Armenia’s options, which he described as “shortening the leash.”

TRIPP Infrastructure Project

Pashinyan also outlined Armenia’s timeline for launching the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a major regional infrastructure project connecting Armenia and Azerbaijan through the southern Syunik Province.

He said that the government plans to complete the design phase by the first half of 2026, with construction expected to begin in the second half of that year. The TRIPP project was agreed upon under a declaration signed in Washington, witnessed by U.S.

President Donald Trump. It commits both Armenia and Azerbaijan to ensure unimpeded connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan exclave while providing reciprocal transit benefits for Armenia.

Pashinyan explained that the project will include railways, roads, and pipelines. The railway will follow the Soviet-era route, while the gas pipeline and power lines will be built along separate, northern paths. He added that the main roadways will likely be integrated into the existing North-South highway network.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said border demarcation work related to TRIPP may need to be carried out in specific sections to allow the project’s design to move forward.

Opposition lawmakers boycotted the session, accusing the government of ceding sovereignty over roads in Syunik without gaining meaningful benefits from Azerbaijan. They also questioned whether the peace deal would bring long-term stability.

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