Washington meeting should be regarded as a historic step toward ensuring long-term peace in the South Caucasus - COMMENT

President Ilham Aliyev has a clear and strategically grounded position regarding Armenia’s responsibilities and its role in the regional peace process. The President of Azerbaijan has consistently delivered clear messages about the importance of Armenia fulfilling its obligations. He has stated that Armenia must not delay the process. If Armenia fails to meet its commitments, this would, first and foremost, be perceived as disrespect toward the United States and personally toward President Trump. Delaying the process could not only affect relations between the two countries but also lead to negative shifts in the international community’s stance. Furthermore, concrete and proactive steps toward peace could create new opportunities for cooperation in the region, including accelerating economic integration and enabling the realization of transport and energy projects, Aydin Huseynov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship, said in a statement to 1news.media

He noted that one of the key issues addressed by President Ilham Aliyev is the necessity of amending Armenia’s constitution: “The current version of this document contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan, which contradicts peace initiatives in the region. The President’s statements make it clear that establishing lasting peace in the region is an inevitable process, and one of the parties—particularly Armenia—must fulfill its responsibilities without delay. Additionally, President Ilham Aliyev’s historic visit to the United States and the successes achieved during this visit have produced significant geopolitical outcomes, not only within the framework of bilateral relations but also on an international scale. This visit marked the complete failure of the policy pursued for a long time by the Biden-Blinken administration, French President Emmanuel Macron, the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament to force Azerbaijan into unilateral concessions. During this period, Azerbaijan faced pressures from various directions. However, despite all these obstacles, President Ilham Aliyev did not take a single step back. With the determination, principled stance, and resolve to firmly defend national interests characteristic of a true leader, he steadfastly pursued Azerbaijan’s political course and demonstrated its successful results. This approach by the President garnered significant attention and respect not only within the country but also in the international arena.”

The deputy emphasized that the head of state’s Washington visit and its outcomes should be regarded not only as a milestone in the development of bilateral relations but also as a historic step toward ensuring long-term peace in the South Caucasus. “President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that peace is measured not only by documents but by the fates of real people. Ensuring peace means saving the lives of thousands of young people, preventing new victims, protecting families from tragedy, and sparing the nation from losses. The plans of numerous forces seeking to drag our region into new wars and gain political dividends from conflicts have been thwarted. In addition to achieving victory in the war, Azerbaijan’s position, grounded in international law, has been established in the region. Today, the implementation of the peace agenda strengthens economic integration, opens broad opportunities for regional cooperation, and contributes to restoring mutual trust between peoples,” A. Huseynov noted.