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Representatives of Armenian civil society will soon pay a reciprocal visit to Azerbaijan. Grigoryan
The Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, participated in and delivered a speech at the “Crossroads of Peace” conference organized by the international political consulting organization “Rasmussen Global” in Brussels.
The full text of the Secretary of the Security Council’s speech is below:
“Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great honor for me to address this distinguished audience, which has gathered to discuss the current opportunities for peace, prosperity, and interconnectedness in the South Caucasus, for which the “Crossroads of Peace” project can pave the way. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to all those present, for whom dialogue on peace, stability, and security in the South Caucasus and beyond is essential.
For Armenia, the “Crossroads of Peace” project is not just an infrastructural initiative; it is a vision for interconnectedness, interdependence, and cooperation in the region and beyond.
For decades, the South Caucasus has been characterized by conflicts, closed borders, and missed opportunities. Today, the situation has begun to change.
On August 8, 2025, the Joint Declaration was signed by the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of Azerbaijan, and the President of the United States of America. This significant event laid the foundation for peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus, marking decisive progress towards the de-blockade of the region.
Since August 8, Armenia and Azerbaijan have made concerted efforts to consolidate the progress achieved so far and deepen dialogue. For example, on October 21-22, a delegation of Azerbaijani civil society representatives visited Armenia for the first time to participate in a bilateral roundtable discussion. It is expected that Armenian civil society representatives will reciprocate with a visit to Azerbaijan in the near future. Before the involvement of civil society representatives, the Head of the National Security Service of Armenia visited Baku to participate in the International Security Forum. Such visits and exchanges will contribute to strengthening mutual trust and understanding between the two societies, while maintaining peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The de-blockade of the region is the cornerstone of efforts to institutionalize peace in our area. The Armenian government’s “Crossroads of Peace” project envisions a region interconnected through roads, railways, energy transportation, and digital networks.
I want to emphasize that the “Trump Path to International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) is also a crucial component of the “Crossroads of Peace” project, as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the United States and Armenia regarding the “Crossroads of Peace Capacity Development Partnership.” The goal of the “Crossroads of Peace” project is to bring people together and promote trade and innovation.
The Washington Agreement opened a new window of opportunity to make this goal a reality.
To better understand the impact of the Crossroads of Peace project on trade routes, the Armenian research institute Amberd has conducted a detailed study, which shows that the new trade route between Europe and China, passing through Armenia, could reduce travel time by 5 to 10% compared to current routes.
The positive effects of sustainability are already noticeable today. Armenia’s economy, especially its information technology and technology sectors, as well as tourism, is developing rapidly, benefiting from a more secure and predictable environment. Armenia is launching an exclusive $500 million artificial intelligence infrastructure project in partnership with NVIDIA and Firebird, further strengthening the country’s position as one of the world’s leading high-performance computing centers. Armenia recorded significant tourism growth between May and August 2025. For example, in June, more than 215,000 tourists visited Armenia, representing a 19% increase from the previous year. In our assessment, the reason for this growth was the announcement by Armenia and Azerbaijan on March 14 of the end of negotiations on the text of the peace agreement, which prompted a response from people living in different countries. The economic activity indicator for September, a 10.5% increase, also testifies to the possible impact of the August 8 announcement.
This testifies to the fact that peace stimulates business, innovation, and prosperity.
Dear colleagues,
Armenia is ready to continue this path with commitment and transparency. We consider the “Crossroads of Peace” project not only as a transport project, but also as a political statement that dialogue works, cooperation is possible, and regional security can be built through shared prosperity. However, this process requires the involvement of all parties: our European partners, our North American and South American partners, as well as our neighbors in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and the broader region.
In addition to institutionalizing the peace process, another priority for the Armenian government is the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. Armenia has made all the necessary preparations for the opening of its borders with Turkey. According to a study by the Amberd Institute, open borders can bring mutual benefits to both our peoples and economies, increasing trade between Armenia and Turkey by 200%. By using the territory of Turkey, the trade route between Armenia and Eastern Europe will be shortened by 10–25%, and between Armenia and Central Europe by 5–15%.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
I want to thank you for hosting this conference and for the opportunity to present Armenia’s vision for peace, prosperity, and stability, which can benefit our countries and the entire region.
Thank you.
