On May 25, the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) meeting took place in Moscow. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev took part in the meeting for the first time.

Pashinyan's remarks on further cooperation

Speaking at an expanded meeting of the SEEC in Moscow, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia is ready for a constructive dialogue to reach a consensus on the issue of creating a common gas market within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. 

According to him, strengthening the potential of national economies should be supported by a competent approach to ensuring energy security. "The timely functioning of the common gas market in the EAEU in the long term will contribute to the creation of favorable and mutually beneficial terms of trade and will increase the energy security and competitiveness of the Union Member States in the international market. The Armenian side is ready for a constructive dialogue to reach a consensus on unresolved issues," Pashinyan said.

Exchange of accusations in the meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan

At the meeting, Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev stated that there are serious prerequisites for normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. 

"There are serious prerequisites for normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty. Today, at the initiative of the Russian side, a trilateral meeting will be held with the participation of the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan," Aliyev said. According to him, there are opportunities for signing a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "There is an opportunity to reach a peace agreement, taking into account that Armenia has recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan," the head of the republic said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not object to Ilham Aliyev confirming with colleagues from the Eurasian Economic Union that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed on mutual recognition of each other's territorial integrity. The head of the Armenian government took the floor after the speech of the President of Azerbaijan, expressing dissatisfaction with the fact that he named the Lachin corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and where on April 23, in violation of the tripartite statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020, Baku established its checkpoint point is called a road, not a corridor. Moreover, Pashinyan saw Aliyev's reference to the so called “Zangezur Corridor” as territorial claim against Armenia.

"Inhabitants of Azerbaijan of Armenian nationality who live in Karabakh move freely towards Armenia; there are no obstacles, including patients who are transported through the Red Cross and ambulances. Any unbiased person, of course, should see this. And I think there is no need to use the platform for unfounded accusations," Aliyev said in response. "Azerbaijan has no territorial claims against Armenia. One must have a wild imagination to see territorial claims in my words. As for the word 'corridor, I used it in the same way I used it for the North-South and West-East corridors," he added. He noted that the word 'corridor is an international term and cannot be considered an encroachment on someone's territory.

"As for the Zangezur corridor, If you listen carefully to my speech, it says Azerbaijan initiated the creation of the Zangezur corridor. This is our right," the President of Azerbaijan said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that at a trilateral meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister and the President of Azerbaijan, agreements would be reached that would lead to constructive development between Yerevan and Baku and the region as a whole. "The colleagues expressed their position, formulated it, it is important for them... There are certain contradictions, but much more important is what both the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia have just said, that on a fundamental issue, the issue of territorial integrity, there is an agreement on a fundamental character," the head of the Russian state noted. "This is the basis for agreeing on other issues of a secondary nature, although also of significant importance," Putin stressed.

The meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev

On May 25, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev held a meeting in the Kremlin.

"The level and nature of relations between Azerbaijan and all member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union are of a serious, deep nature," the head of the Russian state noted at the beginning of the conversation. "Trade and economic ties are developing progressively for the benefit of the development of relations between all our peoples. I would very much like this to continue in the future, especially since the potential for regional cooperation is very, very high," Putin said.

According to him, Russian-Azerbaijani relations are at a high level; they are progressively developing on the principles of equality, taking into account the interests of each other and by the Declaration on Allied Cooperation signed in February 2022. "This year marks the 100th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev. You know our attitude towards this political figure of both the Soviet Union and independent Azerbaijan. This is an outstanding political figure, a unifying figure in the history of our countries. And it is also well known that we celebrated this anniversary in Russia with dignity. Exhibitions were held in the State Duma and the Federation Council, and documentaries were shown on television. Many events took place in the regions of the Russian Federation; it was not only the capital - in Kazan, Astrakhan, Dagestan, at BAM, where Heydar Aliyevich is also remembered, including the solemn departure of the Moscow-Tynda train and events at the Angoya station, where the station was assigned the name of Aliyev, who, as the first deputy head of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, supervised the construction of the BAM. This is an outstanding construction site of the entire Soviet Union; it is associated with the name of Aliyev," the President of the Russian Federation said.

The Azerbaijani leader, in turn, noted that Heydar Aliyev and Vladimir Putin laid the foundations for the current level of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. "It was after you visited Azerbaijan in 2001 that relations reached a qualitatively new level. Today, we already characterize these relations as allied, not only de facto but also de jure. As you noted, at the beginning of last year, we signed the Declaration on Allied Cooperation, which we are implementing, which is the most important political document that reflects the spirit and nature of our relations and the aspiration of our countries for even closer cooperation," the head of Azerbaijan emphasized.

Aliyev further expressed gratitude to the Russian side for the efforts in normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "We highly appreciate these efforts, and the fact that you will participate in the trilateral meeting today also shows that the Russian Federation attaches great importance to Azerbaijan and Armenia finally reaching a peace agreement. I think that after the recent statements of the Armenian leadership on the recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, as well as the recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, indicating specific figures for the area of Azerbaijan, the issue of agreeing on other points of the peace treaty will go much easier because this was the main factor on which we could not agree," Aliyev added.

The meeting between Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan

On the same day, Vladimir Putin met with Nikol Pashinyan.

"I am grateful that you actively participated in today's meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. We have already spoken about this - in my opinion, this whole event was held at the level we expected; we talked quite frankly with each other on many issues. We are also grateful that you agreed with the presence of the President of Azerbaijan at this event. I think that in any case, from the point of view of the development of regional economic ties, this is useful; it creates an additional platform and an opportunity for dialogue in those areas that are not subject to any doubt," Putin said. 

The President of Russia noted the active development of bilateral relations and the steady dynamics of mutual trade. "Bilateral cooperation in various fields continues to develop actively. I would like to note that our trade turnover demonstrates a confident positive trend. Last year it grew by more than 83 percent and reached $5 billion. In January-March of this year, it added another 1.5 billion. If this process develops at such a pace, then we will, of course, clearly beat last year's record," the Russian leader said.

As for the sensitive issues related to the settlement around Karabakh, Putin continued, "We have now discussed all this face to face with Prime Minister Pashinyan." 

"We will still have the opportunity to talk in a trilateral format on the issues of unblocking transport links. The questions are very important and sensitive. I am sure that if, in the end, despite all the difficulties, we achieve a solution to these issues, then this will undoubtedly benefit both Armenia and Azerbaijan - and not only the two countries but also the entire region, because Many states are interested in this, and this will contribute to the normalization of relations in all sectors, including the political one, in terms of ensuring the security of those people who live in this territory. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to meet today not only face to face but also in a wider format. I am sure that it will be useful," Putin summed up.

Nikol Pashinyan, in turn, confirmed the interest of the Armenian side in unblocking regional transport communications, but subject to the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Armenia. "We are ready. Both the border and customs services are ready to ensure the normal passage of all vehicles - trains through the territory of Armenia. We expect the Azerbaijani railway to be open for cargo, trains of Armenia through Nakhichevan and Azerbaijan, for example, to Russia and Iran. We expect this issue to be resolved on a parity basis, based on the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries," he stressed.

Pashinyan then drew attention to the fact that in the regional sense, there is a tense situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor. "We have repeatedly spoken, and, unfortunately, contrary to the tripartite statement (of the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020 - Ed.), Azerbaijan has illegally blocked the (Lachin) corridor, gas and electricity supplies have been suspended, food and food supplies have been complicated ( to Nagorno-Karabakh). All this aggravates the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Of course, Russian peacekeepers support this," the Armenian Prime Minister noted.

Meeting among the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia

On May 25, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia met in a tripartite format in Moscow.

Issues related to the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations were the focus of attention at the meeting. The parties agreed on a tripartite meeting of the deputy prime ministers in a week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the meeting will be a good prologue for the practical solution to some issues that have long been discussed. "It was in our format that achieving success on many issues was possible. In the fall of 2020, not only the military operations stopped, but then the work on the removal of the blockade of economic and transport communications and the delimitation of the borders began. Many events happened during this time; I will not dwell on each of them; I will not go into details. In my opinion, even though there are still enough difficulties and problems in general, the situation is developing in the direction of regulation. One of these directions is the work related to transport communications. Well, now we've talked about this in quite a bit of detail in the face-to-face threesome, and there are still some unsettled issues. However, I think we discussed this with our colleagues from the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides. These issues are purely technical in nature," he added.

"We discussed this topic in detail. The point is in terminology. Of course, behind these terms is an accurate perception of realities and events. They come after signing the relevant documents. But in my opinion, from the point of view of all three of us - I mean myself, the Prime Minister of Armenia, and the President of Azerbaijan - these are obstacles that can be overcome. These are purely technical issues. Therefore, we decided that soon, after a week - now I ask my colleagues to agree on this date - the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia will meet. They will, so to speak, resolve issues that have not yet been settled. It seems to me that this is a good agreement, and it gives hope to resolve the issues that have not been resolved so far," he said.