Azerbaijani Leader Discusses Brussels Summit with Putin

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said he anticipates that the so-called “peace treaty” between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed within a few months.

“We have declared that we want peace—a peace treaty. We demanded this from Armenia some two years ago. In my opinion, this [peace treaty] is one of the most important achievements of our meetings,” Aliyev aid in an interview with the Italian Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper, reported Azatutyun.am’s Armenian Service on Monday.

“I believe that in few months we will be able to conclude the work and sign the peace treaty. If the Armenia side expresses the same will then it will be realized,” Aliyev added.

The Azerbaijani leader told the Italian publication that the five points presented by Baku have been accepted by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, claiming that the Armenian leader reaffirmed this during their talks in Brussels last week.

The first of the demands, Aliyev said, is the recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries. The second point, he explained, is refraining from any “territorial ambitions,” while the third point is refraining from the use and threat of force. The fourth and fifth points of the Baku proposal is the delimitation and demarcation of borders and opening transit routes between the two countries.

“These are the five basic principles that Azerbaijan has proposed to Armenia. This, once again, was reaffirmed in Brussels two days ago during our meeting. Our foreign ministers will pursue the development of the peace treaty based on these five principles,” Aliyev told reporters during a visit to the Italian city of Cernobbio.

The Kremlin reported on Saturday that during a telephone conversation between Aliyev and President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the current situation in the South Caucasus was discussed.

“A detailed assessment of the situation in the South Caucasus was made,” the Kremlin said in a press statement.

The importance of establishing stability and security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as the need for the establishment of the economic and transport links in the region were discussed, according to the Kremlin, which added the Putin and Aliyev pledged to continue the fulfillment of the agreements reached between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in 2020 and 2021.

Aliyev reportedly briefed his Russian counterparts on the meeting he had with Pashinyan last week, mediated by the European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels.