The agreements reached in Washington between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the initialing of the text of the peace treaty are an important historical stage that paves the way for lasting peace, regional stability, and common prosperity in the South Caucasus. The Washington agreements are now one year old. During the past period, in addition to practical steps towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, great progress has also been made in Azerbaijan-US relations.
Parvanaaliyeva, a member of the International Relations and Interparliamentary Relations Committee of the Milli Majlis, told Modern.az.
"Azerbaijan and Armenia have intensified diplomatic talks for confidence-building, and meetings have been held in Gabala and Yerevan to discuss the delimitation and demarcation process between the governments. Within the framework of the normalization process, civil society exchanges have begun between the two countries. Visits with the same purpose have been carried out from Baku to Yerevan and from Yerevan to Baku within the framework of the "Peace Bridge" initiative, and a total of 4 meetings have been held in Gabala. This process strengthens the dialogue of civil societies on the prospects of the peace agenda. These events reflect an important reality: the results of the initialed peace treaty are no longer only on paper, but also manifest themselves on a practical level."
According to the MP, trade has also started between the parties, including the export of Azerbaijani oil products to Armenia:
"The important point is that the two countries are forming bilateral trade relations completely from scratch. Another practical step towards the institutionalization of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia will undoubtedly be the functionality of the Zangazur corridor. This is not just an infrastructure project, but an important tool for promoting regional peace, stability, and economic integration. The Zangazur corridor will both shorten the Middle Corridor and develop the East-West route by being a faster, safer, and alternative route.
Today, Azerbaijan is the safest transit on the East-West route. Geopolitical tectonic changes in the world increase the interest of investors in countries with stability. Such countries are considered risk-free in terms of investment. Investment interest in the Zangazur corridor is extremely high, including the European Union allocating funds for the functionality of the route."
P. Valiyeva reminded that during the past period, the visit of US Vice President J.D. Vance to Azerbaijan demonstrated Washington's intention to deepen cooperation with Baku:
"The Charter on Strategic Partnership signed between the US and Azerbaijan has created a long-term cooperation framework in three main directions: energy and regional connectivity (including trade and transit), economic investments (especially in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure), and security cooperation (including defense and counter-terrorism).
The implementation of the Charter is intended to accelerate infrastructure development, expand energy investments, and promote mutually beneficial economic cooperation. During the year, President Donald Trump's contacts with our head of state intensified, and Azerbaijan was invited as a founding country to the "Peace Council."
However, Azerbaijan has repeatedly emphasized its expectations for the signing of a final peace agreement. Progress towards the signing and ratification of the document is based on the fulfillment of the remaining condition - the amendment of the Armenian Constitution, which contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Only through sustained mutually responsible political will and international support can the region move forward together towards peace, development, and progress," the MP noted.
