FM: Azerbaijan, Armenia to keep dialogue going amid ongoing peace talks

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, has confirmed that contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue in the post-conflict period.

Speaking to journalists, Bayramov stated that regular meetings at the level of foreign ministers are being held, and this process is expected to continue throughout this year, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

However, he noted that the date for the next meeting has not yet been determined. Additionally, Bayramov mentioned that negotiations are still ongoing regarding two specific articles in the peace agreement with Armenia.

"Azerbaijan has called on Armenia to take concrete steps to remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan, which are embedded in Armenia’s Constitution and various legal documents," Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told journalists.

Foreign Minister Bayramov emphasized that while the peace agreement text is being discussed, there remains a significant issue regarding territorial claims from Armenia.

"Azerbaijani society is well aware that, in addition to the peace agreement, there exists another serious and unresolved problem—the territorial claims against our country, which are enshrined in the Armenian Constitution and other legal acts," Bayramov remarked.

"While we hear statements advocating peace, we see a noticeable lack of tangible actions," he added.

In a separate statement, Bayramov expressed concern over the actions of the outgoing US administration, particularly its support for Armenia. He emphasized that such support was unacceptable for a country claiming to act as a mediator in the conflict.

"Bias is unacceptable, and we have seen it in the actions of the Democrat administration in the United States," Bayramov remarked in response to a question from reporters.

He also confirmed that Azerbaijan's Consulate General in Los Angeles would resume its operations.

FM Bayramov further addressed ongoing negotiations concerning Azerbaijani ships detained in Eritrea. He informed journalists that progress has been made in these talks.

Diplomatic efforts are being conducted through Azerbaijan’s embassies in Ankara and Moscow.

The vessels, “CMS Pəhləvan”, “CMS İgid”, and “CMS-3”, which were en route from the Suez Canal to Abu Dhabi, were detained by Eritrean authorities on November 7 of the previous year. The ships were forced to enter Eritrean waters due to adverse weather conditions and failed to make prior contact with port authorities. As a result, the Eritrean authorities deemed the vessels' entry unauthorized and detained them. The crews of the detained ships included 18 Azerbaijani citizens.

The Azerbaijani government continues to work towards securing the release of the detained vessels through diplomatic channels.

By Vafa Guliyeva