"We have always wanted to build good relations with the United States, and we express our deep gratitude to President Trump," President Ilham Aliyev said at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum, APA reports.
"There is a great difference between President Donald Trump's approach and that of previous U.S. administrations. Unfortunately, during the nearly 30 years of occupation, U.S. administrations, together with the other co-chairs of the former OSCE Minsk Group, pursued a policy aimed not at liberating Azerbaijan's territories in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions they themselves had adopted, but at freezing the conflict. Their goal was to freeze the situation and use it as a means of influence over both Azerbaijan and, to a certain extent, Armenia. Their actions were fully coordinated, and the entire activity of the OSCE Minsk Group served not to resolve the conflict, but to perpetuate the occupation.
President Trump's approach was completely different. He is a politician who loves peace and creates peace in different parts of the world. As he himself has said, he has contributed to resolving eight conflicts. This is his character, his vision and his policy. In our case as well, his role became very important when negotiations on the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agreement reached their final stage. President Trump and his team joined the process and created a framework that made peace possible. They fully understood our concerns regarding peace. They also clearly understood the necessity of the Zangezur Corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and worked very effectively to convince Armenia that this peace was also important for it.
During the historic meeting at the White House, the Prime Minister of Armenia, President Trump and I signed a joint statement. In addition, with President Trump's participation, the foreign ministers of both countries initialed the peace agreement. We also signed a document on the establishment of a joint working group to prepare a Strategic Partnership Agreement within six months. Exactly six months later, that work was completed. It was the first time in my experience that U.S. officials fulfilled their promises with such precision. Thus, the entire process was completed from last August to this February, after which Vice President J.D. Vance visited Baku. We signed the Strategic Partnership Declaration. It was truly amazing. Frankly, we could only have dreamed of such a development.
We have always wanted to build good relations with the United States. However, the influence of the Armenian lobby, stereotypes about Azerbaijan and the failure to properly assess our country's potential prevented this. As I said, when President Biden was a senator, he was one of the initiators of sanctions against Azerbaijan. His view of the region was different. It was considered easier to manage a region engulfed in conflicts and confrontation," President Ilham Aliyev stressed.
The head of state noted that President Trump has a completely different character and vision.
"He wants peace and sees peace as something that creates new opportunities. Now that peace has been achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia, very broad opportunities have emerged. President Trump has now named the corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan after himself, calling it TRIPP. According to the information we have received, practical work on the project is expected to begin this year. This project will completely transform the region's transport map, contribute to strengthening security in the South Caucasus and create a new positive environment for cooperation in the region. We need this very much. We express our deep gratitude to President Trump personally and to his team. I would especially like to mention Steve Witkoff and Ari Lightstone. Together with President Trump, they played a decisive role in achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia."
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
