Zardusht Alizadeh: 'two points made me happy in Charles Micelle's statement'

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting in Brussels on May 14, joined by European Union Council President Charles Michel. This marked the fifth meeting in this format since late 2021, and according to Michel, the leaders agreed to resume bilateral discussions on border issues. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to their respective territorial integrity, referring to the Almaty Declaration of 1991 and relevant resolutions. The final determination of the border will be achieved through negotiations.

Significant progress was made in the talks regarding the restoration of transport and economic relations in the region, as indicated by Michel. The Azerbaijani government representatives expressed their approval of the meeting, emphasizing the exceptional importance of respecting territorial integrity, according to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Rasim Musabekov, a member of parliament, in an interview with Turan, regarded these events as a positive sign that peace efforts have not decreased, but rather intensified.  He praised the Brussels meeting, expecting it to confirm the convergence observed during the four-day discussions between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Washington earlier in May. The parties declared the necessity of ensuring each other's territorial integrity in accordance with the Almaty declaration.

Musabayov noted that Moscow, despite being in a seemingly non-negotiable position, remains a crucial player in the process.

Zardusht Alizadeh, a political commentator, in an interview with Radio Azadlig regarded this meeting as the most significant result. Firstly, the parties agreed to engage in serious discussions about delimitation. Alizadeh outlined a potential scenario in which the Azerbaijani army withdraws from the territory occupied by Armenia after mutual recognition of territorial integrity, with the condition that Armenia withdraws its illegal armed units in Karabakh. This would set the stage for further discussions on enclaves and make the borders almost evident.

The Armenian side has repeatedly claimed full withdrawal of their armed forces from Karabakh, asserting that the "Defense Army" of Karabakh does not belong to them. However, both sides acknowledge the existence of certain remaining occupied territories.

Alizadeh highlighted the second positive point as Armenia's agreement to the construction of the Zangazur road, which was granted during the Brussels meeting. The European Union is expected to handle the financial aspect of the road's construction.

Regarding the Moscow meeting, Alizadeh noted that it provides an opportunity for Azerbaijan to hear Russia's position. However, he emphasized that both the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Mirzoyan and Bayramov, respectively, have the ability to assert their will during the meeting.

In recent years, Azerbaijan and Armenia have engaged in peace talks at regular intervals, with Russia and the European Union acting as mediators. The United States supports the European Union's format for these discussions. The previous meeting in this format took place in August of the preceding year.