On the Message of the Meeting Between Aliyev and Pashinyan at the BRICS Summit for Both Countries...

On October 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met during the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia.

At the meeting, both leaders discussed advancing a bilateral peace agenda, including a peace agreement, border delimitation and demarcation, and other issues of mutual interest. The foreign ministers of the two countries were instructed to continue bilateral negotiations to expedite the conclusion and signing of a peace agreement and the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was seated next to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the summit, and they conversed for around an hour during the session.

Political analyst Zardusht Alizade shared these details on the program "Complex Question," hosted by Kamran Mahmudov. According to Alizade, video footage from the summit showed the two leaders sitting side by side, engaging in conversation calmly and without any signs of tension or hostility. Their gestures and expressions suggested a peaceful and constructive dialogue on Azerbaijan-Armenia relations, indicating a potential for reaching consensus. As a result of this interaction, the foreign ministers of both countries were invited and given specific assignments.

Alizade pointed out that previous contacts between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, from 2019 to 2024, took place under highly tense circumstances.

In the expert's view, the absence of hostility during the interactions between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan is a positive sign and sends a message to the people of both Azerbaijan and Armenia that the conflict is in the past.

Alizade expressed optimism that the people of both countries would collectively move away from the wartime mindset. Moreover, he believes that an agreement on opening communications will be reached and suggests that Azerbaijani builders may construct a railway through Zangezur.