Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that conflicts, protracted external aggression, and lack of responsibility threaten peace and security in the region, as well as hinder regional cooperation.
"The statement signed by the president of Azerbaijan, the president of Russia, and the prime minister of Armenia on November 9, 2020, opened a new page in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said during the 42nd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) member states.
"Armenia is withdrawing its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Peacekeeping forces are deployed in the former conflict zone and a joint monitoring center is being set up to monitor observance of the ceasefire," the FM said.
"We’ve entered a new stage in the settlement of the conflict, the stage of reconstruction and rehabilitation, the stage of restoring peaceful coexistence. New opportunities for development and cooperation are emerging, and the BSEC must assess and take advantage of the new realities," Bayramov stressed.
"A vital independent land corridor between Asia and Europe could be launched, which will create opportunities to enhance the role of our region in trade," he noted.
"We can achieve a peaceful, prosperous and stable future only through joint efforts, especially, by fully observing international obligations regarding the inviolability of internationally recognized borders, the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," the foreign minister concluded.
