Photo: The Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom

Elchin Amirbayov, Special Representative of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for Special Assignments, has paid a working visit to the United Kingdom to discuss prospects for bilateral relations between the two countries.

During the visit, he met with Barbara Woodward, Deputy National Security Adviser to Prime Minister Keir Starmer; Edward Llewellyn, Political Director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Jonathan Allen, Director General for Defence and Security; Chris Allan, Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia; Nusrat Ghani, Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons; Bob Blackman, Chair of the Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group; as well as a number of members of parliament, News.Az reports, citing The Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom.

During the meetings, the sides held detailed discussions on the current state and future prospects of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom, the next steps to be taken in the spirit of the strategic partnership announced last year, as well as security issues in the South Caucasus and the wider region. The interlocutors fondly recalled the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the latter’s visit to Baku and emphasized the importance of continuing high-level contacts.

The sides noted that cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, trade, investment, energy security, transport connectivity, climate, and environmental fields is successfully ongoing, and that additional areas with potential for practical cooperation exist under the new conditions. They underscored the particular importance of elevating relations to the level of a strategic partnership. Gratitude was once again expressed for Azerbaijan’s support in the evacuation of UK citizens from Iran amid tensions in the Middle East. Azerbaijan’s growing geopolitical and geo-economic strategic role within the East–West route and the Middle Corridor was particularly highlighted, and it was noted that there are strong opportunities for bilateral cooperation in this area as well.

During parliamentary discussions, the sides emphasized the importance of further strengthening interparliamentary dialogue between the two countries, including organizing mutual visits of members of parliament and expanding cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral platforms.

Elchin Amirbayov also informed his British counterparts about the current state and prospects of the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He highlighted the significance of the historic agreements reached in Washington in August last year, as well as the concrete steps taken in various areas to build mutual trust and expand the peace agenda since then, reaffirming Azerbaijan’s commitment to establishing long-term and irreversible peace with Armenia.

At the same time, the presidential representative noted that the results of the parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia this year and the referendum on a new constitution would play a decisive role in terms of signing a peace agreement and ensuring long-term, sustainable peace in the region.

For its part, the United Kingdom highly appreciated the positive dynamics observed in the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, welcomed Azerbaijan’s practical steps toward strengthening peace, and expressed hope that a peace agreement would be signed in the near future.

As part of the visit, Elchin Amirbayov also spoke at a roundtable held at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, attended by regional experts, researchers, and representatives of academic circles, where he addressed the Azerbaijan–Armenia normalization process and regional security issues in the South Caucasus. In addition, the presidential representative gave interviews to The Guardian and Daily Express.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada