What messages and to whom were addressed by the president?

On January 7, President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to local television channels. During the interview, he clarified several pressing issues. Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu commented on the president's statements in the program "Difficult Question."

Shahinoglu noted that Aliyev touched on topics such as the peace treaty, the Zangezur Corridor, border demarcation, and more.

Addressing the peace treaty, the president stated:
"If Armenia does not need a peace treaty, then neither do we. We can live and pursue our policies without signing it," Shahinoglu quoted Aliyev.

Regarding the prospects of the Zangezur Corridor, the analyst highlighted that Azerbaijan has nearly completed laying the railway tracks to the Armenian border. This, according to him, signals a clear decision: "The corridor will happen!" Therefore, Aliyev is pressuring Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has not made progress in this direction.

Shahinoglu believes that for the Zangezur Corridor issue to move forward, a peace treaty must first be signed. In his view, there has been some progress in this regard, as 80-90% of the treaty text has been agreed upon. The remaining step involves amending Armenia’s constitution, after which signing the treaty will become possible. Following this, the issue of abolishing the OSCE Minsk Group will also be resolved, as the parties have reached an understanding on this matter.
"However, without a peace treaty, the opening of the Zangezur Corridor seems problematic," Shahinoglu argued.

At the same time, he noted that the Zangezur Corridor has lost its former appeal for Azerbaijan.
"In Azerbaijan, it has become clear that Pashinyan is not eager to resolve this issue. Moreover, there is an alternative corridor: Baku-Tbilisi-Kars. Despite complicated relations, an agreement has been reached with Iran to build a road along the Iranian bank of the Araz River to Nakhchivan. Aliyev touched on this topic only because the journalist raised the question," said the political analyst.

He also pointed out an unexpected proposal Aliyev made to Pashinyan during the interview: inviting representatives of the Western Azerbaijan community to Yerevan to discuss their concerns.
By this, Aliyev conveyed that these people are willing to accept Armenian citizenship, thus dismissing the idea of creating a separatist enclave in Armenia. The main issue, he said, is ensuring their safety.

Commenting on Aliyev's remarks regarding relations with the West, Shahinoglu noted that the president rightly pointed out a consensus in French politics solely on Azerbaijanophobia. Unfortunately, this applies not only to the current government but also to opposition figures vying for power, who are no different in their stance.

According to Shahinoglu, Aliyev’s statements on relations with the EU reflected some optimism, as leadership changes are underway within the bloc. However, to deepen relations with the EU, Azerbaijan needs to take certain steps toward normalizing its relationship with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

As for prospects of developing relations with the United States, Aliyev expressed significant hopes for constructive cooperation with Donald Trump’s administration, reminiscent of the 2017-2021 period. However, Shahinoglu pointed out certain concerns, as Trump’s current team includes figures connected to the Armenian caucus.
"It is worth noting that Trump’s Secretary of State will be Senator Marco Rubio, a co-author of many pro-Armenian resolutions in the U.S. Congress. However, it cannot be ruled out that Rubio, in this role, will prioritize U.S. national interests over personal or party affiliations," Shahinoglu speculated.