BAKU. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said he considers last year's efforts to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations important and hopes to see a breakthrough in talks with Armenia in 2023.
"I hope that 2023 will be the year of breakthrough in normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia. At least we are hoping for this," Aliyev said when receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Baku on Monday.
"I'd like to express gratitude to the Russian government and you personally for actively participating in this process. I believe that Russia, as our friend, ally and neighbor, has a special part in settling relations between the states of Azerbaijan and Armenia," he said.
Aliyev went on to emphasize that last year had seen important steps toward normalization in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. "Documents were adopted [in 2022] to determine the conceptual character of the future peace treaty, and in particular, the mutual recognition of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of both countries. This was confirmed by the documents adopted in October in Prague and in Sochi. These [documents] constitute the foundation that can be used on the way to a peace treaty," he said.
"In any case, we are determined to work positively and constructively with the Armenian side, with the Russian side, as our friend and neighbor, in order to turn this page of enmity and bring peace back to the South Caucasus as soon as possible," Aliyev said.