“For me, peace with Armenia is done,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev told France 24 on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, reflecting on six months of calm on the border and progress in trade and regional cooperation.
President Aliyev also referred to the historic trilateral summit at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which produced a Joint Declaration aimed at ending decades of conflict.
“Since that time, more than six months have passed, and we have a very quiet situation on the border with Armenia. No more shootings, no victims, no wounded,” Aliyev said.
He noted that Azerbaijan has lifted transit restrictions and begun supplying critical oil products to Armenia, marking the start of direct trade relations.
President Aliyev stressed that formal peace requires constitutional changes in Armenia, particularly the removal of territorial claims on Garabagh. “As soon as it is done, there will be no obstacles to the formal signing of a peace agreement… Definitely this year,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a road and rail corridor connecting Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia to Europe. He described the U.S. role as decisive in making the project a reality, noting the short Armenian segment of the corridor and ongoing infrastructure work on Azerbaijan’s side.
He also discussed the recent visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which resulted in the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, covering defense, energy, connectivity, AI, investment, and trade.
“Thus, we became an official strategic partner of the most powerful country in the world, and we consider it a big success for our country,” President Aliyev said.
Responding to questions about the harsh prison sentences for former separatist leaders in Garabagh, President Aliyev affirmed that the trials were transparent and based on documented crimes.
“These people committed serious crimes against humanity… Their crimes were even worse than what the Nazis did during World War II,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev rejected calls for clemency while reiterating Azerbaijan’s offer for displaced Armenians to return under fair terms.
The Azerbaijani leader addressed past tensions with France, citing criticism and unauthorized visits to Garabagh by French politicians during the Second Garabagh War. He emphasised that recent interactions with President Emmanuel Macron have been constructive, signaling a “restart button” for bilateral relations.
“We were not the source of the problems… Now both sides are more ready for normal relations, especially after Armenia and Azerbaijan have already achieved peace,” he said.
Throughout the interview, President Aliyev underlined Azerbaijan’s commitment to regional stability, economic connectivity, and international cooperation, while asserting the country’s sovereignty and strategic interests in the South Caucasus.
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Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday in what could be most consequential local election in more than six decades.
World Cup action delivered impressive wins and late drama on 18-19 June. Mexico booked their place in the knockout stage as Group A winners, while Jonathan David's hat-trick inspired Canada to a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.
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The European Commission has announced €493 million in emergency support for the Ebola response, including funding for vaccines, treatment and health security measures.
Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday will no longer take place after Vice President JD Vance withdrew from a scheduled trip to meet Iranian negotiators, Swiss authorities said.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has remotely signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.S., brokered by Pakistan, under which Tehran and Washington agreed to extend their ceasefire and begin negotiations towards a peace agreement.
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at strengthening trade routes and reducing reliance on transit routes through neighbouring countries.
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