Hikmet Hajiyev: Imposed formats failed, Azerbaijan established peace through its own efforts

Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are considered one of the main pillars of peace and security in the region.

This was stated by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, during a panel session at the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, APA reports.

He noted that these relations have been further strengthened by the Shusha Declaration.

Hajiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan has expanded bilateral cooperation models into trilateral and multilateral formats:

“There are cooperation mechanisms such as Türkiye–Azerbaijan–Georgia and Türkiye–Azerbaijan–Iran. This approach enhances regional agency and serves the interests of all parties.”

The presidential aide added that this approach is also reflected in specific sectors, including energy security:

“Azerbaijan, on its own initiative, has brought its hydrocarbon resources to global markets. These projects contribute to global energy security while also serving the interests of regional countries.”

According to Hajiyev, the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict holds particular regional significance:

“Azerbaijan demonstrated leadership in this process, and the conflict is now in the past. Our country has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty through political, military, and military-political means.”

He stressed that Azerbaijan is taking steps toward normalizing relations with Armenia, noting that a relevant agreement was initialed in August last year with the participation of US leadership.

Hajiyev stated that over 30 years, the externally proposed settlement model imposed on the region by the OSCE Minsk Group failed to deliver results:

“This once again shows that real outcomes in the region can only be achieved through local agency and leadership.”

He added that a new status quo has now emerged in the region, with the South Caucasus entering a phase of peace, while also pointing to the emergence of new conflict hotspots in the broader neighborhood.

Touching upon the importance of regional connectivity projects, Hajiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Central Asian countries in developing trans-Caspian transport routes.

He noted that the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway plays a key role in this direction, while the Zangezur corridor could create additional opportunities.

The presidential aide emphasized that regional agency does not imply isolation; on the contrary, such an approach creates a broad platform for cooperation with other regions.