Hajiyev says South Caucasus has already entered a period of peace

The South Caucasus has already entered a period of peace, Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan and head of the presidential administration’s foreign policy department, said during a session held within the framework of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

He noted that energy projects implemented on Azerbaijan’s initiative are currently serving global energy security while also ensuring the interests of countries in the region.

He stated that the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is particularly important from a regional perspective.

Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan is taking steps to normalize relations with Armenia, adding that a relevant agreement was initialed last August with the participation of the United States.

He said that the model of external settlement imposed on the region by the OSCE Minsk Group over the past 30 years has failed to produce results:

“This once again shows that real results in the region can only be achieved through local ownership and leadership,” he said.

He added that a new status quo has now formed in the region and that the South Caucasus has entered a period of peace, while also noting that new zones of conflict are emerging in the neighboring region.

Regarding regional connectivity projects, he highlighted Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Central Asian countries in developing Trans-Caspian transport initiatives.

According to him, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway plays an important role in this direction, and the “Zangezur Corridor” could create additional opportunities.