Azerbaijan’s Aliyev Meets World Leaders at UN to Push Peace and Cooperation
ISTANBUL – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday held a round of diplomatic meetings with several heads of state and senior officials at the United Nations headquarters in New York, focusing on peace initiatives, regional stability, and stronger international partnerships.
Finnish Support for Peace
During his meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Aliyev received congratulations on the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the recent Washington agreements. Stubb assured Helsinki’s support for peace in the South Caucasus. Aliyev noted that the decision to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group was made during Finland’s OSCE chairmanship and said Baku and Yerevan had now entered “a period of peace.”
Progress Welcomed by Greece
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis echoed these views, commending the achievements and highlighting the role of US President Donald Trump in the Washington talks. Aliyev, for his part, stressed Azerbaijan’s leading role in driving the peace agenda. He also underlined the agreement to create an unhindered transport link between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The two leaders further discussed cooperation in trade, energy, and tourism.
Regional Cooperation with Iraq
Aliyev also met Iraqi President Abdel Latif Jamal Rashid, who welcomed the Washington breakthrough and extended his congratulations. Their talks covered joint work in the energy and tourism sectors, along with closer coordination within international institutions.
Council of Europe Praises Achievements
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset described the Washington agreements as “historic.” He and Aliyev exchanged views on Azerbaijan’s relations with the Council of Europe, the dismantling of the Minsk Group, and the wider peace process.
Expanding Relations with Kenya
Aliyev’s final meeting was with Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto. The Azerbaijani leader expressed satisfaction with the growing bilateral relationship, especially after the opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Nairobi. The two sides agreed to explore deeper cooperation in agriculture, industry, and energy, and to strengthen coordination in multilateral forums.
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