Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan’s territory prevented the South Caucasus from developing into a more integrated region.

Speaking at the international forum themed “Facing the New World Order,” Aliyev emphasized that while the region had the potential for integration—particularly in terms of economic cooperation, transportation, and energy security—this opportunity was derailed by the occupation and the suffering it caused the Azerbaijani people.

Aliyev explained, “Unfortunately, the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's territory did not allow South Caucasus to develop as a more or less integrated region. We had all chances for that, but aggression and devastation and suffering of the Azerbaijani people did not allow that to happen.” He pointed out that while Azerbaijan and Georgia have fostered strong ties in areas such as energy security, transportation, political dialogue, investments, and economic cooperation, Armenia's actions deprived itself of the opportunity to play a vital role as a transit country for Azerbaijan’s energy resources and transportation routes.

The president's remarks underscored the significant geopolitical and economic impact that the occupation had on the region, hindering both Azerbaijan and Armenia from realizing their full potential in the South Caucasus.

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