“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Zahidov said the visit, scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 February, is expected to focus on regional connectivity, particularly the Zangazur corridor, which he described as a strategic infrastructure project with implications extending far beyond transport.
According to the expert, the corridor is not only vital for linking Azerbaijan with its exclave Nakhchivan and providing an alternative route to Türkiye, but also for fostering long-term regional stability.
He referenced political scientist Johan Galtung’s concept of “positive peace,” which emphasizes economic cooperation and open communication over the mere absence of conflict.
“To achieve positive peace you need open borders, joint economic projects and sustained interaction,” Zahidov said, adding that Azerbaijan has actively pursued this approach since restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He noted that Azerbaijan is nearing completion of its railway infrastructure to the western border and expects reciprocal steps from Armenia.
“We are waiting for similar activity from the Armenian side,” Zahidov said.
Beyond connectivity, Zahidov said the talks are likely to cover a broad agenda, including the economy, investment, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and defence industry cooperation.
Zahidov also pointed to recent visits to Azerbaijan by representatives of the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Defense, during which President Ilham Aliyev reiterated Baku’s priorities under the Washington Declaration, signed on 8 August 2025.
Since the declaration was signed, Zahidov said Azerbaijan has sent four delegations to Washington to engage on energy, trade, investment and emerging technologies, particularly AI.
He described the upcoming meeting as historic, noting that it would mark the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to Azerbaijan since 2008, when then Vice President Dick Cheney visited Baku.
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President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over alleged efforts to influence last month's parliamentary vote through Armenian citizens residing in Russia.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Georgia’s only oil refinery will stop using Russian crude oil by September to preserve access to Western markets, its operator has said.
Iran has begun talks with Japan about selling oil to Japanese companies, according to Iranian and Western sources. The discussions come less than a month after the U.S. eased decades-old sanctions on Iranian oil as part of efforts to secure a final peace deal with Tehran.
At least 40 people were killed after a passenger bus plunged off a highway into a ravine in southwestern Pakistan, officials said on Friday (3 July).
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