International organisations react positively to Washington meeting FROM EU praise TO INVITATION TO NATO

International organisations reacted positively to the Washington meeting held on August 8, which involved Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The results of the meeting and the signed documents did not go unnoticed by international organizations, which issued numerous official responses, Caliber.Az writes.

The European Union warmly welcomed the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the initialing of the “Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.”

The EU statement notes that the signing of the Joint Declaration at the White House in the presence of Donald Trump represents significant progress for both countries and opens the way to a lasting peace in the region. The statement emphasizes the need for timely implementation of the agreed steps for the full normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The EU confirmed its readiness to invest in regional connectivity and development in the interests of populations divided by the legacy of the conflict.

European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a joint statement, stressed that the agreement paves the way for long-term peace and expressed the EU’s willingness to continue supporting the normalization process.

In a statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said the agreements reached with the involvement of President Trump between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are an important milestone toward ending the long-standing conflict:

“We strongly commend both sides and the US Administration for using the momentum and making progress possible. It will now be important to ensure the timely implementation of the agreed steps, notably the signing and ratification of the peace treaty. We continue to stand ready to work with partners towards full-fledged normalisation, providing additional support and expertise, including for the practical implementation of next steps," Kallas said.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, also congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the initialling of the peace agreement, calling it a decisive step toward lasting peace and stability.

Marta Kos emphasised that she is looking forward to her upcoming visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia and expressed readiness to support the normalisation process and development of regional cooperation.

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset welcomed the agreed stage aimed at achieving lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington and expressed readiness to provide support.

President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Roussopoulos, also underlined his sincere welcome of the peace agreement signed in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijan under U.S. auspices. The statement noted that PACE has always supported parliamentary diplomacy in this conflict, is ready to accompany the stages of strengthening this agreement, and to promote mutual trust building.

NATO’s Support

NATO positively assessed the progress toward peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In a statement by spokesperson Allison Hart, gratitude was expressed to Donald Trump for his peace efforts, emphasising the importance of the progress achieved for regional security.

The head of the Austrian NATO Enlargement Committee, Günter Fellinger-Jan, even called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to join the alliance, stating that only NATO can guarantee peace in the region.

Position of the Turkic Council and OSCE

In a statement, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Kubanychbek Omuraliev, highly appreciated the signing of the Joint Declaration. Omuraliev said the organization firmly supports the initialing of the agreed text of the “Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia,” as well as the signing by the foreign ministers of both countries of a joint appeal to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on the closure of the Minsk Process and related structures. He called this historic development an important stage toward establishing lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Caucasus region and beyond.

The OSCE expressed satisfaction with the agreements reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The organization stated that it positively assesses the agreements signed on August 8 in Washington and praised the role of the United States in the process. The OSCE calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to do everything possible to normalize relations and achieve peace, and it continues to support all efforts that bring stability and lasting peace to both countries. The organization declared its readiness to assist in the implementation of the agreements reached on August 8.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) also welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration in Washington, calling it a historic step toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro called the Joint Declaration signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan a historic moment for a better and shared future.

Views of Azerbaijani Experts

Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told APA that the OSCE’s willingness to support the implementation of the reached agreements indicates that the fate of the Minsk Group is effectively decided: “France has already expressed its support as well. It should be noted that OSCE decisions are made by consensus. At the first stage, the U.S. will address the OSCE member states, after which the issue will be discussed at the ambassadorial level. In December, the decision on the Minsk Group should be approved at the ministerial level.”

Mammadyarov also emphasized the importance for Azerbaijan of the agreement to create a corridor connecting the main part of the country with Nakhchivan. According to him, the U.S. will appoint a private company for the project’s implementation: “Whether a new railway will be built or the line left from Soviet times will be used is a topic for discussion at the next stage.”

The former foreign minister noted that the agreements reached during the Washington meeting are of key importance for advancing peace for both Azerbaijan and Armenia. “This is also extremely important for President Donald Trump. From the U.S. perspective, Washington attaches special significance to these agreements,” he emphasized.

Elkhan Shahinoglu, head of the Atlas Research Center, told APA that the Joint Declaration adopted in Washington and the initialing of the peace agreement serve the interests not only of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the U.S.:

“This benefits all of Eurasia and other countries. Everyone can gain from this because after 35 years of conflict there is a real chance for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Now the region begins a path to cooperation, which will benefit everyone, as transport routes pass and will pass through this region. That is why international organizations and most countries support the Washington agreement. There are also positive elements in the statements of NATO, as well as the foreign ministries of France and Iran. Russia cannot oppose because President Vladimir Putin is in open dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump, and they are expected to meet soon. So this agreement benefits everyone, and that is why international organizations and leading states express their support.”

By Khagan Isayev