Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan evaluates the peace process with Armenia

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov says that Azerbaijan listened to Armenia’s expectations and arguments in peace negotiations and tried to find a mutual solution and said that a lasting agreement should be achieved

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov stated that they are listening to Armenia’s expectations and arguments in peace negotiations and trying to find a mutual solution, emphasizing, “Any agreement must be fair, based on international law, and completely eliminate the possibility of revisiting any issue in the future.”

Bayramov met with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office and Malta’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Trade, Ian Borg, who visited Azerbaijan for discussions.

After their meeting, Borg and Bayramov held a joint press conference and answered questions.

Bayramov briefed Borg on the status of peace and normalization between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He expressed belief in the positive outcomes of direct negotiations between the two countries without any mediator. Bayramov also highlighted the ineffectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group over its 30-year activity, established in 1992 to encourage and mediate the peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the Karabakh issue.

Bayramov emphasized that the OSCE Minsk Group’s functionality is no longer valid, and there is no need for the OSCE to provide financial support to this institution.

Responding to a question from an AA correspondent about the current state of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Bayramov described the initiation of the demarcation process in the Gazakh region and the return of four villages to Azerbaijan as a “positive and historic development.”

Bayramov noted that the demarcation process has only covered a 10-kilometer stretch so far, representing a small portion of the border with Armenia. He emphasized that direct negotiations, political, and diplomatic means achieved this progress, signifying the first resolution of such a serious issue at the negotiation table in 30 years.

Bayramov also discussed the peace process with Armenia, mentioning his meetings with his Armenian counterpart in Berlin on February 28 and in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 10 and 11.

“In the Almaty meeting, we discussed open issues. I won’t provide details. Overall, it went positively. The agreement must be realistic, in line with our expectations. It’s a very difficult and important process. We understand the process’ history and sensitivity. The most crucial aspect for Azerbaijan is that the agreement must be fair, based on international law, and completely eliminate the possibility of revisiting any issue in the future. We listened to Armenia’s expectations and arguments, and we are trying to find a mutual solution. The Almaty negotiations were a step in this process. How big of a step this was, we will see at the end of the process,” Bayramov said.

“We welcome the start of the demarcation process,” stated OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Borg, emphasizing the importance of achieving sustainable peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Borg highlighted that there is no sustainable alternative to diplomacy and reiterated the OSCE’s support for pragmatic solutions that yield tangible results.

Source: AA