The Content of Negotiations is Clearly Determined by Aliyev: Azerbaijan's Security Council Secretary

Azerbaijan's Security Council Secretary Ramil Usubov addressed the situation in the region in an interview with official media. He noted that since the end of the 44-day war, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have held 7 meetings face-to-face and online, initiated by the Presidents of Russia, the European Council, and France. Tert reports.

“The fact is that the content of the negotiations and the peace agenda are unequivocally determined by Ilham Aliyev. At the president's request, expressions such as 'Nagorno-Karabakh conflict' and 'status' are no longer used in the negotiations. Ilham Aliyev has presented his proposals for ensuring peace, security, and development in the region, including promoting peace and trust, revealing the missing persons from the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, landmine clearance, opening communication and transportation routes, mutual assurances on customs and border control, and creating a platform for joint economic cooperation. These are important topics of negotiation,” stated Ramil Usubov.

According to the Secretary of Azerbaijan's Security Council, the current preliminary goal is to start negotiations surrounding a 'peace agreement' and discuss delimitation and demarcation issues. “The next phase is the opening of the 'Zangezur Corridor', where Yerevan is already losing its ability to create obstacles... According to a memorandum of understanding signed with Iran at Aliyev's initiative, a new transport hub connecting Eastern Zangezur and Nakhchivan will be constructed 5 kilometers south of the Iran-Armenia border. It will consist of a railway line, a multi-layered highway, digital communications, and other elements, completely ignoring Armenia’s maneuvers in the 'Zangezur Corridor'. The Armenian government believes it should have a dominant position regarding the new transport hub and dictate its terms. However, our president has stated that this transport hub will be put into operation merely with a 5-kilometer geographical difference, and Armenia has once again erred in its calculations,” Usubov said.

Usubov emphasized that it should not be forgotten that the Armenian people 'trusted' the ruling party at last year's elections, which has announced it will start negotiations with Azerbaijan, rather than the opposition, which represents the 'party of war, the military junta'. “The people have given Pashinyan a mandate to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, meaning that the 'Armenian people are tired of enmity and want stability',” said the Azerbaijani official.