- 5 months ago
President Trump leads a peace deal signing between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House.
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00:00Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, accompanied by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
00:30Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thank you.
00:51It's a long time, 35 years. They fought and now they're friends and they're going to be friends for a long time.
01:00But it's a big, beautiful honor to welcome everyone to the White House for this very historic peace summit between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
01:11It's really a great thrill for me. I love seeing good people get together and that's what you have. You have two great leaders.
01:20I want to congratulate these two visionary people, Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev, for coming to Washington to sign this momentous joint declaration.
01:36It's a tremendously important document and it's been a long time in coming.
01:42They were explaining before that so many times they thought they could get there. It never happened. It just never happened.
01:49I also want to thank Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Whitcoff and their teams at the State Department.
01:57And I see that we have Chris Wright outside and Senator Steve Daines sitting right here.
02:04Thank you, Chris. Thank you very much. And Steve, thank you very much.
02:07We have some other wonderful dignitaries, including the dignitaries from your country, but they provided tremendous diplomatic assistance.
02:19And Marco, congratulations. It's a big, it's a big thing. Keep going.
02:23You've got many jobs. And then, of course, you would say Steve was quite influential.
02:27I call him Henry Kissinger, who doesn't leak.
02:34For more than 35 years, Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought a bitter conflict that resulted in tremendous suffering for both nations.
02:44They suffered gravely for so many years.
02:47Many tried to find a resolution, including the European Union.
02:51The Russians worked very hard on it. Never happened.
02:55Sleepy Joe Biden tried, but you know what happened there.
02:58He tried for probably 12 minutes and didn't work out.
03:02And many other countries tried, and they were unsuccessful.
03:05But with this accord, we've finally succeeded in making peace.
03:10And we just left the Oval Office, where we signed voluminous documents and very important elements to the agreement.
03:21The country of Armenia and Azerbaijan are committing to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel, and diplomatic relations,
03:31and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, so importantly.
03:36And I just spent a lot of time with these two men.
03:39I think they're going to have a great relationship, if you want to know the truth.
03:42They didn't see each other that much, but they probably will.
03:46I think you two are going to have a great relationship, I have no doubt.
03:51And if you don't, call me and I'll straighten it out, okay?
03:55Very importantly, we have also resolved the key issue that foiled previous negotiations.
04:00This declaration establishes what they are calling a great honor for me, I didn't ask for this,
04:07the Trump route for international peace and prosperity, which is a special transit area
04:13that will allow Azerbaijan to get full access to its territory of Nakchevian,
04:21while fully respecting Armenia's sovereignty.
04:24So they're going to be able to really live and work together, and it's amazing.
04:31So that's a very important territory, I guess, very special territory to you and to you,
04:37and now they work it together.
04:38Armenia is also creating an exclusive partnership with the United States to develop this corridor,
04:44which could extend for up to 99 years.
04:47And then they promise in 99 years they'll extend it, right?
04:50You'll promise.
04:51But we anticipate significant infrastructure development by American companies.
04:56They're very anxious to go in to these two countries,
04:59and they're going to spend a lot of money, a lot of money,
05:03which will economically benefit all three of our nations.
05:06This is incredibly positive news for the future of the entire region,
05:10and it's a very important region, as you know.
05:12Additionally, the U.S. is signing a bilateral agreement
05:15with both countries to expand cooperation in energy trade and technology,
05:21including AI.
05:22And in terms of energy, Chris is here representing our country,
05:26and there's nobody better than Chris Wright.
05:30And Chris, I understand, it's a very fertile area.
05:34So I appreciate everything you've done.
05:36You've done amazingly well.
05:37We've got the gasoline prices coming way down from where they were.
05:43And it's really been something to watch.
05:46We are drilling like we haven't drilled in many years.
05:50I guess I could say ever before, and we just started.
05:54We're also lifting restrictions on defense cooperation
05:57between Azerbaijan and the United States of America.
06:02The president, that's a big deal.
06:05Unless, is that important to you?
06:06I think so.
06:07That was pretty good.
06:09That's, they're very happy about that.
06:11So am I.
06:12As president, my highest aspiration is to bring peace and stability to the world.
06:17Today's signing follows our success with India and Pakistan.
06:21They were going at it.
06:22They were going at it big, and they were great,
06:25two great leaders that came together just prior
06:30to what would have been a tremendous conflict, as you know,
06:32a nuclear conflict, probably.
06:35Also, the Congo and Rwanda.
06:38Now, that was one which was going on for 31 years.
06:41You have them beat.
06:4135 years, you have them beat.
06:43But that was going on for 31 years, and we have it all done,
06:47and people are very happy.
06:49That was a rough one.
06:50That was nasty.
06:51Seven million people that they know of died.
06:55Also, just recently, Thailand and Cambodia.
06:58That was one that was just starting,
07:01that 2,000 people were dead on the border.
07:03But it was just starting,
07:06and I was talking to one of the two nations on trade,
07:09and I said, I'm not going to sign a trade deal
07:11if you guys are going to fight.
07:12And I got the other one.
07:13And again, great leadership, Thailand and Cambodia.
07:16And before it got started, beyond that first couple of days,
07:21we stopped the war.
07:21And they've had wars periodically,
07:24as much as you two have had long-term wars.
07:28And we got it stopped.
07:30And we, the two, again, I find in all cases,
07:35they're great leaders.
07:36If they didn't agree, I would say they're lousy leaders,
07:38to be honest with you.
07:39But they did agree.
07:40And so Thailand and Cambodia,
07:43Serbia and Kosovo,
07:44we got something stopped that was ready to start.
07:46We didn't like that one.
07:47We didn't like it at all.
07:48And we got, saved a lot of lives.
07:51And numerous others.
07:53In addition, as you know,
07:54we took out the nuclear capability of Iran.
07:56And to use a term that people tried to dispute
08:02without any knowledge, it was obliterated.
08:05That's been confirmed by the Atomic Energy Commission's,
08:09everybody that saw it totally obliterated.
08:10They might try again,
08:11but they're going to have to try a new site
08:13because they are,
08:14and I want to just say our military,
08:16we have the greatest military in the world.
08:18We have the greatest equipment
08:19and military manufacturing anywhere in the world,
08:22nobody even close.
08:24And that sort of proved it.
08:25So getting rid of that threat
08:27from the Middle East was very big.
08:30And I think a lot of people
08:31are going to be joining right now,
08:32the Abraham Accords.
08:34It's going to be very important.
08:35So hopefully we're going to have many more successes.
08:38I hope we're not going to have too many more in this field
08:40because hopefully we're not going to be seeing
08:43too many more wars.
08:44But we just, I came in and this whole world was on fire.
08:48All these things were sort of happening.
08:49We've only been here for six months.
08:51The world was on fire.
08:53We took care of just about every fire.
08:56And we're working on another one
08:57that you're reporting on very strongly
08:59with Russia, Ukraine.
09:02And we'll have some more information
09:04for you a little bit later.
09:06But I want to ask these two very special people.
09:10Again, I've gotten to know them.
09:11They're very special people.
09:12And I think they have the potential
09:14to have a great personal relationship,
09:16which is always good,
09:17but also a great just relationship.
09:21And if I might,
09:22may I ask you to say a few words, sir?
09:26Thank you very much, Mr. President.
09:28First of all, thank you for invitation.
09:30It's a big honor to be invited
09:33by the President of the United States
09:35for this historic event.
09:38Actually, we are writing a new history
09:40in a bilateral interstate relationship
09:43between the United States and Azerbaijan.
09:45We are starting the path
09:48towards a strategic partnership.
09:51The charter on strategic partnership
09:53will be elaborated within several months.
09:57And that is a historic achievement for Azerbaijan.
10:01Because to be in the format
10:02of strategic partnership
10:04with the greatest country of the world
10:07is a great opportunity
10:09and also a very big responsibility.
10:11And this strategic partnership format
10:15embraces so many important areas.
10:19Mutual investments, trade, energy,
10:22connectivity, transit, AI,
10:26defense sales, counterterrorism.
10:29So all these areas where we had
10:32and hopefully will have
10:33very active cooperation in the future.
10:36So it opens a lot of opportunities
10:39for Azerbaijan to continue
10:40its path of development,
10:42to diversify its economy,
10:44to keep unemployment low as it is today,
10:49and to look to the future
10:50with a great optimism.
10:53Also, I'm very grateful to Mr. President
10:55that he today lifted the restrictions
10:58which have been imposed on Azerbaijan
11:00back in 1992.
11:02Just only one year after Azerbaijan
11:05restored its independence,
11:07these restrictions have been imposed on us.
11:11So after 33 years,
11:13these restrictions have been lifted.
11:15Just today.
11:18So really, it's a day
11:20which will be remembered
11:21by the people of Azerbaijan
11:23with a feeling of pride
11:26and gratitude
11:27to President Trump
11:29for his attitude to Azerbaijan,
11:31for his vision,
11:33for not only for our region.
11:36We were exchanging views today
11:38and I said that within several months
11:40he managed to put an end
11:41to conflicts in Asia,
11:43in Africa,
11:44and now in Southern Caucasus.
11:46What we could not achieve
11:48for more than 30 years,
11:50we had to sacrifice lives,
11:52we had to fight
11:52two very bad wars
11:56with a lot of casualties
11:58and if not for President Trump
12:00and his team
12:01and our great friend,
12:03Mr. Vitkov
12:04and his team,
12:05probably today
12:06Armenia-Azerbaijan
12:08would have been again
12:09in this endless process
12:11of negotiations.
12:12So really,
12:14it's a historic day.
12:15We are today
12:17establishing peace
12:18in the Caucasus
12:19which will open
12:20great opportunities
12:21not only for our region.
12:24And as President Trump
12:25correctly mentioned,
12:26the Trump route
12:27for international peace
12:29and prosperity
12:29which will create
12:31new connectivity lines
12:33which will lift the walls
12:37and which will create
12:38connectivity opportunities
12:40for so many countries
12:42with investments,
12:43with prosperity,
12:44with stability.
12:46You know,
12:47Azerbaijan and Armenia,
12:48we became independent
12:49at the same time
12:50as a result of the collapse
12:52of the Soviet Union.
12:53But at that time already,
12:55we were at war.
12:56So we lost a lot of years
12:58just being preoccupied
13:01with wars
13:02and occupation
13:04and bloodshed.
13:06So today,
13:07historic day,
13:08also because we bring peace.
13:10President Trump
13:10brings peace
13:12to Caucasus
13:13and we are grateful
13:14for that.
13:15and I'm sure that
13:17and I'm sure that
13:17Armenian and Azerbaijan
13:19will find courage
13:21and responsibility
13:22to reconcile
13:23and also the people
13:25will reconcile.
13:26We will turn the page
13:29of standoff,
13:30confrontation
13:30and bloodshed
13:31and provide bright
13:33and safe future
13:34for our children.
13:35So I'm very happy
13:37because today
13:39we are writing
13:40the great new history.
13:41and once again,
13:42Mr. President,
13:43thank you for all
13:44what you are doing
13:45for us,
13:46for our region
13:47and for the whole world.
13:49Thank you very much.
13:58Great leaders.
13:59How long have you been
14:00in the leadership position?
14:0422 years.
14:0522 years.
14:06That's pretty good.
14:06That means he's tough
14:07and smart
14:08and it's an amazing
14:11part of the world.
14:12Congratulations.
14:13What a great honor
14:14to be involved.
14:15Thank you very much.
14:17Please.
14:18Thank you,
14:19Mr. President,
14:20ladies and gentlemen.
14:21Today,
14:22we have reached
14:24a significant milestone
14:25in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
14:28We are laying
14:29a foundation
14:30to write
14:31a better story
14:32than the one
14:34we had in the past.
14:36This breakthrough
14:37would be
14:37simply not
14:39have been
14:40possible
14:40without
14:41President Trump's
14:42personal engagement
14:43and his
14:45resolute commitment
14:46to peace
14:47in our region.
14:49The
14:50initialing
14:51of peace agreement
14:52will pave
14:53the way
14:54to end
14:54the decades
14:55of conflict
14:56between our countries
14:58and open
14:59a new era
15:00based on
15:01the full respect
15:02for the sovereignty
15:03and territorial
15:05integrity
15:06of each other.
15:07today's sign,
15:10today's declarations
15:12which
15:13President Trump
15:15personally
15:16will sign
15:17as well
15:17as
15:18witness
15:19gives confidence
15:22and assurance
15:23that we're
15:24opening a chapter
15:26of peace,
15:27prosperity,
15:27security
15:28and economic
15:30cooperation
15:31in the
15:31South Caucasus.
15:32in this context
15:34allow me
15:35to highlight
15:35the agreement
15:37on opening
15:38transport
15:39communications
15:39in the region
15:41based on the
15:42principles of
15:43sovereignty,
15:44territorial integrity
15:45and jurisdiction.
15:46I'm particularly
15:48thrilled that
15:49together with
15:50the U.S.
15:50Armenia
15:51will work
15:52to bring
15:52to life
15:53the trip
15:54Trump wrote
15:55for peace
15:56and prosperity
15:57connectivity
15:58project
15:59that will
16:00unlock
16:00the entire
16:01region.
16:02Trip
16:03will unlock
16:04strategic economic
16:05opportunities
16:06that will
16:07create
16:07long-term
16:08benefits.
16:09It will
16:10promote
16:11infrastructure
16:12investment,
16:13enhance
16:14regional
16:14connectivity
16:15and
16:16strengthen
16:17U.S.
16:20leadership
16:20as a champion
16:21of
16:22conflict
16:23resolution.
16:24I want
16:24to thank
16:25President Trump
16:26and his team
16:27for brokering
16:28this game-changing
16:29outcome
16:30between
16:31Armenia
16:31and Azerbaijan.
16:32This is a great
16:33deal we've
16:34achieved today.
16:35this is a
16:36success for
16:37our countries
16:38and for
16:40our region
16:40and the
16:41success for
16:42the world
16:43because a
16:44more peaceful
16:44region means
16:46a safer
16:46world.
16:47This is
16:48peace through
16:48strength
16:49in a
16:50neutral.
16:52Mr.
16:52President,
16:54today's
16:55great
16:55achievement
16:56is yet
16:57another
16:57testimony
16:58to your
16:58global
16:59leadership
16:59and your
17:01legacy
17:01as a
17:02statesman
17:03and a
17:03peacemaker
17:04on the
17:05whole
17:06stage.
17:07Bringing
17:08peace
17:08requires
17:09vision,
17:11political
17:12courage
17:13and
17:13determination.
17:15But what
17:15is most
17:16important
17:16is that
17:17it requires
17:19faith
17:20in the
17:21cause.
17:22As it
17:23is said
17:23in the
17:24Holy
17:24Bible,
17:25blessed
17:25are the
17:26peacemakers
17:27for they
17:28will
17:28called
17:29children
17:30of God.
17:31May God
17:32enlighten
17:33this way.
17:34Thank you
17:35and my
17:36congratulations
17:37to all of us,
17:39President Aliyev,
17:40to you,
17:41to all of us,
17:43colleagues from
17:44Azerbaijan,
17:46Armenia,
17:46United States
17:47and all
17:49the people
17:51of our
17:51region,
17:52all the
17:52people
17:53of our
17:53countries
17:54and my
17:55congratulations
17:56to the
17:57world
17:58because,
17:59as I said,
17:59it will
18:00definitely
18:01make
18:02the world
18:03a better
18:04place.
18:12The President
18:13of the United
18:14States,
18:15the President
18:15of the
18:15Republic of
18:16Azerbaijan
18:16and the
18:17Prime Minister
18:18of the
18:18Republic of
18:19Armenia
18:19will now
18:20sign the
18:20Joint
18:20Declaration
18:21on the
18:21Outcomes
18:22of the
18:22Trump
18:22Route
18:23for
18:23International
18:23Peace
18:24and
18:24Prosperity
18:24Summit.
18:25That's
18:25really
18:25beautiful.
18:25They will sign
18:26three copies
18:26in English.
18:27The President
18:28of the
18:28United
18:28States
18:29signs as
18:29a witness
18:30to the
18:30President
18:30of the
18:31Republic
18:31of
18:31Azerbaijan
18:32and the
18:32Prime
18:33Minister
18:33of
18:33the
18:33Republic
18:34of
18:34Armenia
18:34affirming
18:35their
18:35path
18:35to
18:36peace,
18:36stability
18:37and
18:37prosperity.
18:38We
18:38kindly
18:39ask
18:39that
18:39all
18:39guests
18:40remain
18:40seated
18:45together.
19:15that is so great and we'll hold up how about holding up that document all right
19:45well thank you this is really a big day and we have some other big announcements but i didn't want
19:58to make them because i don't want to do anything that could even in a little way overshadow what's
20:03taking place today 35 years of death and hatred and now it's going to be love and respect and
20:10success together and i didn't really want to do anything that would in any way overshadow i don't
20:17think it can be overshadowed when you're at war and so many people have suffered and so many people
20:22have been killed and now you're going to have great peace and i look forward to that corridor
20:26because that corridor says i'm going to have to get over there i'll bring senator danes with me
20:30and we're going to have to get over there steve so but this is a really great achievement and
20:37i congratulate you you're two incredible leaders you're going to go down in history
20:42and i've read the whole thing about how long it took and you thought you were there and people
20:49let you down and sometimes you probably let people down maybe i don't know how it works but that's the
20:54way it usually does but this is something that is very very special so i don't want to get in the
20:59way of it at all but we'll take a few questions maybe uh at least slightly related but we have some
21:06other things to
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