KHANKENDI, Azerbaijan, September 11. The
conflict with Armenia for Azerbaijan has ended, and the country
will continue to make further efforts to establish lasting peace in
the region, the Assistant to the President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the
Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, said in his speech at
the Culture Center in Khankendi during the visit of the
representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan to
Karabakh and East Zangezur, Trend's correspondent sent to Karabakh and East
Zangezur reports.
"We are marking the first anniversary of the initial peace
agreement and the establishment of interstate relations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. As President Ilham Aliyev has stated, the
conflict is over for Azerbaijan. We are learning to live in peace
and are moving forward in this direction. We have realized that
living in the reality of peace is a magnificent feeling—one that
cannot be expressed in other words," he noted.
Hajiyev pointed out that Azerbaijan will continue to make
further efforts to establish lasting peace in the region and to
consolidate that peace in the future.
"Peace also begins with reconstruction and restoration work on
the ground. Peace does not merely mean the absence of conflict; it
entails confidence-building, reconstruction, and restoration," he
emphasized.
According to him, the recent meeting between the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
took place in a constructive atmosphere.
"Both sides have agreed to continue bilateral cooperation with
the aim of further advancing our peace agenda, strengthening trust
between the two countries, and further developing trade
relations—including connectivity and links between the two nations
and the region as a whole," he said.
Furthermore, Hajiyev noted positive signals regarding the
development of the TRIPP concept.
"We are grateful to our American partners for demonstrating
their full commitment to the implementation of this project. We are
receiving very positive signals and hope that construction work
will be completed soon.
Last year, we visited this corridor from Baku to Zangilan
together with the diplomatic corps, and you witnessed that the
construction of the railway and the highway was nearly complete.
The project will be finalized by the end of this year and
throughout the coming year," he said.
Hajiyev highlighted that efforts are currently being focused on
the Nakhchivan segment. He noted that positive signals have been
received from the European Union and other partners indicating
their readiness to support Azerbaijan's reconstruction and
rehabilitation efforts in Nakhchivan.
"This will create new connections not only for our region but
also for the broader Eurasian space, the East-West corridor, and
the Middle Corridor. It will transform the entire configuration of
our region and facilitate Armenia's integration into regional
processes," Hajiyev remarked.
He also announced that a request regarding a visit to Nakhchivan
had been received from representatives of the diplomatic corps.
"I hope to make an announcement about this very soon and
organize a visit for you to Nakhchivan. Nakhchivan possesses a
unique geographical location and significant connectivity
potential, yet for many years, it was deprived of these
opportunities. Now, however, Nakhchivan is becoming part of
integrated regional transport, logistics, and other projects. It is
also becoming an integral part of the Karabakh and East Zangezur
development zone. Furthermore, the TRIPP corridor adds a new
dimension of advantage to Nakhchivan's geopolitical and
geostrategic position," Hajiyev added.
