Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Department for Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, in an interview yesterday with the Slovak newspaper Hospodárske Noviny, said the war between Armenia and his country has ended and a new status quo has been established in the region.

“First of all, I would like to emphasize that there is already peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The war is over. If you look at our borders, you will see peace and stability. Moreover, I would say that a new status quo has been created in the region, based on legality and legitimacy. Unfortunately, the previous status quo was based on the fact of the “Armenian military occupation of Azerbaijani territories” (quotes from “Hetq”). But this page has already been turned. We are looking to the future. The text of the peace treaty has been agreed,” Hajiyev said in the interview that mostly revolved around energy issues.

As to whether there is de facto and de jure peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, Hajiyev said: “It is a little more complicated. You can have peace on paper, but the situation on the ground may be different. Now we have the opposite situation. There is peace on the ground, the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is stable, Karabakh is no longer a subject of discussion. Armenian forces have been completely withdrawn from all Azerbaijani territories. But for the peace treaty to finally enter into force, one last step is necessary.”  

Hajiyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia make changes to its constitution, arguing that the preamble to the current Armenian constitution implies territorial claims to Azerbaijan.  

Continuing his speech, Hajiyev emphasized that Yerevan and Baku are in direct communication with each other on “problematic matters”.

“Yes, the dispute between us remains, but disputes between neighboring countries are a normal phenomenon. We see this even among some EU members. But there is diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes. We have managed to move our relations with Armenia from a military confrontation to a political dispute. And I think that is a good sign,” Hajiyev said.

Photo: Anadolu Agency