President Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday for the signing of a peace accord he said would bring to an end 35 years of fighting between the two former Soviet republics.
“It’s a long time — 35 years they fought, and now they’re friends. And they’re going to be friends for a long time. But it’s a big, beautiful honor to welcome everyone to the White House for this very historic peace summit between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Trump said while seated between Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
At the center of the trilateral agreement is a call for developing what will be called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
The White House said the transit corridor — a long-held desire for Azerbaijan — will cut through Armenia and respect the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity and its people.”
“We will turn the page of standoff, confrontation and bloodshed, and provide bright and safe future for our children. So I am very happy, because today we are writing a great new history,” Aliyev said.
The U.S. signed separate bilateral deals with Armenia and Azerbaijan that will allow for investments in energy, technology, economic cooperation, border security, infrastructure and trade. Leaders argued it would be a boost for American companies, as well as for the economies of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Trump touted the event as the latest foreign policy success for his administration at a time when his allies are pushing for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan both argued Friday that Trump would be worthy of the Nobel Prize for his efforts.
“I think President Trump deserves to have the Nobel Peace Prize. ... We will promote for that,” Pashinyan said.
Trump president cited his role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan and the Congo and Rwanda, as well as Cambodia and Thailand.
However, he has so far been unable to bring an end to the fighting in Ukraine, something he had pledged on the campaign trail to do before even taking office, and fighting has continued in Gaza, leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Updated at 4:33 p.m. EDT
Source: The Hill - News
