ISTANBUL
Baku and Yerevan confirmed Thursday that bilateral talks represent the “most efficient” format in their ongoing normalization process, as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held discussions in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
A news release by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry following the talks in Abu Dhabi said the discussions addressed aspects of the normalization agenda between the two southern Caucasus neighbors.
“It was confirmed that bilateral negotiations represent the most efficient format to address all issues concerning the normalization process, and on this basis, it was agreed to continue such result-oriented dialogue,” said the statement.
It said Aliyev and Pashinyan took note of the progress made in the border delimitation process, noting that they instructed their delegations to continue practical work on the issue.
It also said both sides agreed to continue negotiations and confidence-building measures, adding that Aliyev and Pashinyan thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his warm hospitality and for organizing the meeting.
An identical statement was also released by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
Azerbaijani diplomatic sources said the talks took place in a “constructive atmosphere,” and contained a comprehensive exchange of views on issues such as border demarcation, the opening and development of the Zangezur Corridor and the signing of the peace agreement.
Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh — a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan — and seven adjacent regions.
Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and demarcation talks.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after separatist forces in the region surrendered.
On March 13, Baku and Yerevan declared that they had reached a consensus on all 17 articles of a peace deal, though the deal has yet to be signed.
