Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed in a phone call the practicalities of implementing a deal their countries signed with Armenia in the Russian resort city of Sochi last month, the Azerbaijani presidency announced on Tuesday evening.
The leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia reaffirmed their commitment to a comprehensive normalization of Baku-Yerevan relations and to ensuring the peace, stability, security and sustainable economic development of the South Caucasus at a trilateral summit in Sochi on Oct. 31.
At a follow-up meeting in Washington a week later, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia pondered a possible peace treaty and were on the same page about expediting negotiations and increasing dialogue and diplomacy.
Aliyev’s office said that the presidents underscored the importance of continuing work in a trilateral format on ensuring security on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border and restoring transport links in the region.
According to the statement, the two leaders also weighed prospects for the development of energy cooperation.
Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, formerly known as Nagorno-Karabkah, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
As new clashes erupted in September 2020, a 44-day conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.
A tripartite agreement was brokered by Russia to bring an end to the war in November 2020.
The cease-fire is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces withdrew in line with the agreement.
