BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12. Most impressive
development in Azerbaijan is progress towards peace with Armenia,
UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld said during a farewell
event with media representatives, Trend reports.
The ambassador also commended Azerbaijan’s efforts to manage
regional tensions and pursue de-escalation.
“I commend Azerbaijan's efforts to manage their relationship
with Iran and de-escalate tensions despite repeated provocations,”
he noted.
Recalling his arrival in Azerbaijan in early 2022, Auld said
traces of the 44-day war were still visible at the time.
“I arrived in Ganja in January 2022 when rocket damage from the
recent 44-day war was still visible around the city,” he said.
Auld highlighted recent diplomatic developments between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the participation of President
Ilham Aliyev in the European Political Community summit in Yerevan
and the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev to Armenia
to co-chair the bilateral border commission.
“Sustainable peace will require patience and effort for many
more years, and on all signs, Azerbaijan has come such a long way
in the time I've spent here,” he added.
The ambassador also described COP29 as one of the key highlights
of his tenure in Azerbaijan.
“My proudest moment was perhaps COP29. Baku hosted its largest
event ever, the most complex set of negotiations on the most
important of global issues, tackling climate change, at a time of
very challenging geopolitics,” Auld said.
He praised Azerbaijan’s organization of the climate summit and
noted the UK’s support for the process.
“Azerbaijan did brilliantly, and the UK was very pleased to
stand alongside and support it,” he added.
Auld also noted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer became the
first British premier to visit Azerbaijan during COP29, while seven
British ministers attended the event.
