Bayramov Discusses Armenian-Azerbaijani Relations with OSCE Chair

The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, held an expanded meeting with Ignacio Cassis, member of the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE.

According to the APA agency, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry shared this information on the X social network. The ministers discussed the bilateral agenda between Azerbaijan and Switzerland, Switzerland's priorities in the OSCE presidency, the current state and prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the OSCE, as well as the post-war situation in the region and the process of normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level communication and conducting regular political consultations between foreign ministries. In this context, they highlighted the significance of the latest round of political consultations that took place in Baku in April of this year and the necessity for the regular continuation of this mechanism's work.

During the discussions, special attention was given to expanding economic cooperation, including the activities of the joint commission on trade and economic cooperation. The role of the energy sector was underscored as one of the main pillars of bilateral economic relations. In this regard, Switzerland's successful operations of SOCAR were noted as an important example of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Special attention was also paid to Switzerland's priorities as the OSCE Chair. Jeyhun Bayramov stated that against the backdrop of the ongoing complexity in the security situation within the OSCE area, the organization should fully utilize its comprehensive security concept and geographical breadth to maintain its relevance and role in addressing regional security issues. He reaffirmed Azerbaijan's commitment to effective multilateral cooperation based on the principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect, inclusive dialogue, and consensus.

Regarding the normalization process of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Jeyhun Bayramov informed his counterpart about the current phase of the peaceful process, actions being taken towards establishing actual peace between the two countries, and bolstering trust. He emphasized that the progress achieved in a bilateral format once again demonstrated the effectiveness of that approach.

Speaking about cooperation with the OSCE, Jeyhun Bayramov reaffirmed Azerbaijan's readiness to continue practical collaboration with the organization in areas of mutual interest where the OSCE has relevant expertise and can provide added value.

Jeyhun Bayramov also drew attention to the widespread landmine contamination of Azerbaijani territories and other explosive remnants of war, describing it as one of the country's most acute humanitarian issues. He highlighted the importance of OSCE's practical support and the existing opportunities within its mandate to address this problem.

During the meeting, the parties also exchanged views on the situation surrounding Ukraine, events occurring in the Middle East, and other issues concerning regional and international security.