Azerbaijan’s Recognition of Armenia’s Territorial Integrity Sparks Hope for Regional Cooperation

A significant development has occurred as Azerbaijan publicly recognizes the territorial integrity of Armenia, as affirmed by President Ilham Aliyev. During his address to the Azerbaijani people, President Aliyev stated, “We recognize their (Armenia’s) territorial integrity, we have announced it, we recognize the territorial integrity of all countries,” as reported by the “Interfax-Azerbaijan” news agency.

This recognition holds particular importance as the absence of public acknowledgment of Armenia’s territorial integrity by Baku had raised concerns in official Yerevan. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had expressed apprehensions about the lack of public statements from Azerbaijan’s leadership regarding the recognition of Armenia’s territorial integrity, leading to concerns about potential territorial ambitions directed at the Republic of Armenia.

However, recent developments have witnessed Armenia demonstrating unexpected political competence, according to President Aliyev. He viewed this as a positive development and expressed optimism about its potential impact on the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. President Aliyev also expressed his belief that a day will come when Azerbaijan and Armenia can resolve their issues, sign a peace treaty, and set the stage for future cooperation in a trilateral format involving the countries of the South Caucasus.

In a related development, official Yerevan recently declared its decision not to intervene in the ongoing military operations in Artsakh, signaling a readiness to contribute to regional stability and conflict resolution. These recent developments indicate a potential shift toward constructive dialogue and cooperation in the South Caucasus region.