Aliyev: 'It Took Armenia Nearly Two Years to Agree on This'

“We have stated that we need peace, a peace treaty. It took Armenia nearly two years to agree to this. In my opinion, this was one of the most important outcomes of the meetings,” said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

Aliyev expressed hope that the parties would be able to finalize their work and sign a peace treaty within a few months: “I believe that within a few months we can finalize the work and sign a peace treaty. If the Armenian side shows such will, then, in my opinion, it is real,” emphasized Ilham Aliyev.

Aliyev stated that the five principles proposed by Baku as the basis for the peace treaty have been accepted by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and this was reaffirmed at the meeting in Brussels: “First, the recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries; second, the renunciation of any territorial claims; third, the rejection of the use of force and the threat of its application; fourth, delimitation; fifth, the opening of communications. These are the five basic principles proposed by Azerbaijan to Armenia, and the Prime Minister of Armenia has accepted them. This was also confirmed during our meeting in Brussels two days ago. Our foreign ministers will proceed to practical negotiations on the text of the agreement based on these five principles,” said Aliyev at a press conference in Cernobbio, Italy.