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Official Baku: Real peace exists in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan will continue its efforts

17 April 2026 19:36 (UTC +04:00)

“We are learning to live in peace in the Caucasus,” Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said during the panel titled “South Caucasus: An Emerging Strategic Center” held as part of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, APA’s correspondent dispatched to Türkiye reports.

“As the President of Azerbaijan has also expressed, we are learning to live in peace in the Caucasus. Although this may sound simple, it is in fact a complex and new process, as the Caucasus has not had a long experience of peace. Today, this feeling is entirely new and valuable, and it is important to preserve it and strengthen it through practical steps. Peace does not only mean the absence of war; it is a broader concept and requires a comprehensive approach. It is impossible to deny the difficulties of the past, but we are now looking toward the future. This approach is also reflected in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. The country is not limited to the South Caucasus; it is also developing a multifaceted geopolitical identity. On the one hand, Azerbaijan is a South Caucasus country; on the other, it has ethnic and cultural ties with Central Asia. At the same time, it is part of the Turkic world within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States. In addition, its proximity to the Middle East creates further geopolitical opportunities. The Türkiye–Azerbaijan–Syria cooperation is a clear example of this. As a result, real peace exists in the South Caucasus, and Azerbaijan will continue all its efforts to strengthen this peace. Thanks to Azerbaijan’s diplomatic courage, real, de facto peace has been achieved in the region in a short period of time. For comparison, it took years to reach peace agreements in Europe after World War II. Armenia and Azerbaijan, however, have managed to achieve real peace through practical and pragmatic steps in less than two years since 2023,” Hajiyev noted.