Azerbaijan’s ties create opportunities for diplomacy, UK official says

Azerbaijan’s relations with its neighbours create opportunities for diplomacy in the region, Tariq Ahmad, a member of the UK House of Lords’ International Relations and Defence Committee, has said.

Speaking at the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum (AIIF 2026) in Baku, he noted that Azerbaijan is situated at the intersection of West Asia and the Caucasus, giving it an important role in the region, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

"However, what happens in the Middle East does not remain confined to that region. This process has continued since February this year. The global impact of this conflict is something everyone faces," he stressed.

In his words, depending on how wars and conflicts are defined, there are currently between 60 and 100 such conflicts worldwide.

"As someone who engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Armenia and Azerbaijan and devoted a significant part of my life to helping resolve this issue, I must say that it is encouraging to see it resolved," he added.

Ahmad also highlighted China’s role in working with Pakistan, Iran and several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia.

"All of these are in Azerbaijan's close neighborhood. Azerbaijan has good relations with those countries and, of course, with Türkiye. I think diplomacy conducted around the table can also be quite successful," he remarked.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov