ISTANBUL

Baku and Yerevan on Wednesday agreed to further explore opportunities to expand the bilateral trade and economic cooperation amid talks between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

A statement by Azerbaijan’s presidency following expanded talks between Aliyev and Pashinyan in the Emirati capital said that the two sides welcomed the progress achieved in implementing the outcomes of their summit in Washington, DC in August last year, which were witnessed by US President Donald Trump.

They noted the importance of maintaining the positive momentum in advancing the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process on a bilateral basis, the statement noted, saying the two sides acknowledged that both societies are witnessing “real benefits of peace on the ground.”

“They expressed satisfaction with the start of bilateral trade and ongoing export of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as the transit of grain and other goods from third countries to Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan,” it added.

“The sides agreed to further explore opportunities to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation,” it also said, noting that they also welcomed reciprocal visits by civil society representatives and agreed on the need to broaden confidence-building measures.

It also said that Aliyev and Pashinyan discussed the implementation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project and other connectivity projects.

Pashinyan and Aliyev "reaffirmed their readiness to continue working toward the further strengthening of peace and stability between their countries and agreed to maintain contacts in support of the bilateral normalization process,” the statement added.

An identical statement on the results of the expanded talks in Abu Dhabi was also issued by the Armenian prime minister’s office.

At a trilateral summit between Pashinyan, Aliyev, and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Aug. 8, the two countries signed a declaration to end decades of conflict, pledging to halt hostilities, reopen transportation routes, and normalize relations.

The TRIPP project is set to link mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia under the declaration.

Azerbaijan has conducted multiple shipments of domestically produced petroleum products to Armenia in recent weeks, the first of which took place in late December, as the two South Caucasus neighbors take steps to improve ties following years of conflict.