President of Azerbaijan urges dissolution of OSCE MG

ArmInfo. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and  European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg, and his accompanying delegation.

OSCE Chair-in-Office Ian Borg recalled the meeting and discussions held on the sidelines of this year's Munich Security Conference with the President of Azerbaijan, saying that his visit has a regional  character, Azertac reports.

He mentioned that Malta supports the normalization of relations  between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the negotiation process for a  peace treaty.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that it was Azerbaijan that  initiated the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and its  fundamental principles forming the basis of this process and that the  text of the peace agreement was prepared by Azerbaijan and presented  for discussion. The Azerbaijani President noted that the negotiation  process is underway between Azerbaijan and Armenia to advance the  peace agenda.

The head of state noted that although the consequences of Armenia's  military aggression against Azerbaijan and the occupation of its  lands has been on the agenda of the OSCE since its inception, neither  this organization nor the OSCE Minsk-Group co-chairmanship mechanism  had done anything to eliminate the consequences of the conflict,  liberate Azerbaijani territories from occupation, and ensure the  return of internally displaced persons. During these years, the  negotiation process conducted by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk  Group contributed to perpetuating the occupation of Azerbaijani  territories. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan,  through its own determination and strength, has brought an end to the  occupation, ensuring territorial integrity and sovereignty by  international law and the UN Charter. Noting that the  Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is now a thing of the past, the head of  state proposed the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and all  associated institutions. The Azerbaijani leader pointed out that  Azerbaijan had raised this issue, and there appears to be no reason  for Armenia to oppose it.

During the meeting, discussions revolved around transportation  connectivity matters within the OSCE framework.

Ian Borg noted that his country backs the concept of small island  developing states and advocates for the enhancement of their  relations with the European Union. Considering Azerbaijan's COP29  Presidency, he expressed readiness for cooperation with Azerbaijan in  this regard as well.

President Ilham Aliyev stressed that the concerns of small island  developing states will be one of priorities of the Azerbaijan's  Presidency of COP29. Highlighting the visit of Patricia Scotland,  Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, to Azerbaijan, the head of  state touched upon the cooperation between the small island  developing states affiliated with this organization and similar other  countries, addressing existential challenges faced by them within the  COP framework, and conducting various events. President Ilham Aliyev  underlined that Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation with Malta in  this regard.