PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the period of living in peaceful conditions in the region is still short, but he is confident that peace will endure. He made the remarks during a joint press statement with European Council President Antonio Costa.
He said that Azerbaijan has already started trade with the Armenian side and that "Armenia can become a transit country," APA reported.
"Independence was gained in 1991, and only in the past seven months have we been living in peace. I am confident that peace will endure. We have already started trade and moved on to supplying important petroleum products to Armenia. This once again demonstrates our strong political will. I think this is the best indication of both sides' intention to build healthy relations and remain committed to peace. That is why the main topic on our agenda is discussing security issues in the region," Aliyev said.
At the Baku Global Forum, Aliyev said work is underway to create a new branch of the Middle Corridor.
"That route will pass through Armenian territory, and Armenia will, for the first time in its history of independence, become a transit country. It does not have that status now. That project will make it possible to connect the two parts of Azerbaijan - the mainland and Nakhchivan - through a stable transport line, energy line, fiber-optic cable, power transmission lines and, potentially, a pipeline. In this way, the two parts of Azerbaijan will be linked by transport infrastructure, while the new transit corridor will provide additional opportunities for other countries," he said.
European Council President Antonio Costa said the European Union shares Azerbaijan's goal of building a peaceful, stable, interconnected, and prosperous South Caucasus.
"The progress achieved in the peace process with Armenia is of historic significance. The Washington agreements demonstrate your commitment to dialogue and reconciliation, and the European Union supports their full implementation. We know that real peace is not built only on political agreements signed on paper. Strengthening economic interdependence is the safest path to long-term stability," Costa said.
On August 8, a joint declaration on the results of the meeting in Washington was signed during a trilateral meeting at the White House involving Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, U.S. President Donald Trump and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov initialed the agreement "On peace and the establishment of interstate relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan" in the presence of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the U.S.
Source: PanArmenian.Net
