The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.
President Ilham Aliyev had a conversation with the ambassador.
The head of state expressed hope for the development of bilateral relations and wished the ambassador success in his endeavors.
Expressing his honor in serving as an ambassador to Azerbaijan, Julien de Fraipont said that he would spare no effort in developing bilateral relations in various areas, including economic and political fields, during his tenure.
Conveying his congratulations on Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29, the ambassador described this event as a global call to address climate change.
He also stated that Belgium would be represented at a high level at this event. The ambassador emphasized that COP29 would provide an opportunity for Belgian companies operating in the fields of energy transition and climate change to showcase their capabilities and achievements in the "green energy" sector.
The diplomat highlighted the importance of regional stability to Belgium and expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan's humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He also indicated Belgium's interest in regional stability concerning Armenia-Azerbaijan relations. The ambassador noted the recent progress in the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and emphasized Belgium's encouragement of the steps taken in this direction. He reiterated Belgium's continued support for Azerbaijan and the activities of ANAMA in addressing the challenges posed by landmines.
As one of the founding member states of the European Union, Julien de Fraipont expressed Belgium's interest in cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union in the fields of energy transition, climate change, economy, and trade.
The head of state acknowledged the potential for further developing bilateral relations and stressed the benefits of meetings between the foreign ministers of both countries for discussing cooperation agendas.
President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that the preparations for COP29 are in the final stages. Noting that there was less than a year to prepare for this event, the head of state emphasized that the pre-COP event demonstrated the successful implementation of these efforts. President Ilham Aliyev stated that during Azerbaijan's presidency of COP in the coming year, the country is determined to play a bridging role between various parts of the world.
The head of state also noted that the transition to green energy is an important issue on the broad agenda. “Considering that part of the planned projects has already been implemented, the share of renewables in the energy sector will significantly increase in the coming years, and we are ready to cooperate with Belgian companies on this track,” President Ilham Aliyev underscored.
Touching upon the Azerbaijan-European Union relations, President Ilham Aliyev noted that Brussels has been a venue for successful negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, supported by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, and that significant progress has indeed been made there. “However, unfortunately, the Armenian side decided not to continue the process known as the Brussels process. But anyway, it was a positive process, with good results and with a very good experience.”
President Ilham Aliyev noted that, in the current situation, more attention is focused on the bilateral level. The head of state emphasized that all provisions of the peace treaty hold equal value and cannot be separated from one another. President Ilham Aliyev stated that, in this regard, he considers the Armenian government's strange proposal to "sign what has been agreed upon so far and leave the unagreed provisions for the next stages" completely unrealistic, emphasizing that he is not aware of any precedent for such an approach.
The head of state noted that during the occupation of Azerbaijan's territories, the so-called "Madrid process and principles" were in place, with a key provision being that nothing would be agreed upon until all matters were resolved. This was the position held by then-OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and remains Azerbaijan's stance. Unfortunately, some former Minsk Group members have changed their positions and now support Armenia's unrealistic proposals. President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that Armenia often puts forward these proposals to portray a desire for peace, even though they are aware that these suggestions are unacceptable. Nonetheless, the negotiation process continues. The President recalled that from 1992 to 2020, during the 28 years of occupation, no progress was achieved. Now, after two years of talks, patience and realism are required to achieve lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
The head of state also noted that the European Union should preserve neutrality on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace track, which was always the case, adding the EU had never been active during the occupation period. The President pointed out that back then numerous approaches to EU and other European institutions were met with the response that the Minsk Group was responsible, and the EU had no involvement. “However, the EU seems to be actively involved now. Unfortunately, we see that some figures in Brussels, at EU headquarters took sides. This is counterproductive. This only creates mistrust and isolates EU from normalization process. My recommendation, if I may afford to make this recommendation for the sake of continued cooperation between EU and Azerbaijan, would be not to follow the footsteps of France and not to find themselves under France's influence, because France's policy was absolutely destructive, and remains absolutely destructive, with respect to Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process.
And the last point on the EU-Azerbaijan, which increased certain mistrust, was the way how the so-called “European observation mission” on our border was prolonged without any agreement or even consulting with Azerbaijan. Why it was necessary?! Because Azerbaijan agreed in October 2022 in Prague that the mission was supposed to stay a couple of months with a limited number of retired military officers. But when the mission was prolonged, they did not consult with us,” the Azerbaijani leader noted, adding that discussions are in progress for further extension.
The head of state went on to say that the behavior of the members of this mission, the so-called binocular diplomacy, was absolutely unacceptable and was beyond any standards of normal political culture and Azerbaijan will continue to raise these issues in its communications with EU.
Belgium’s ambassador thanked the President for this information and expressed his commitment to developing relations, emphasizing the potential for expanding cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
The Azerbaijani leader highlighted that the EU-Azerbaijan agenda is quite broad including energy, transportation, green energy, trade. He pointed out that the EU is Azerbaijan’s main trading partner and it would be very regretful if there is a setback towards the EU-Azerbaijan cooperation regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan track. The President expressed his hope that bilateral relations with the EU will continue to develop independently of the Armenia-Azerbaijan agenda.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Mohammed Hamad Saad Al Fuhaid AlHajri, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar.
The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.
President Ilham Aliyev had a conversation with the ambassador.
Hailing the successful development of bilateral relations, the head of state highlighted the fruitful cooperation between the two countries within international organizations. The Azerbaijani President emphasized that Azerbaijan and Qatar provide constant support to each other within the UN, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other international organizations, noting that this mutual support is also evident in the bilateral agenda.
Emphasizing the need to pay greater attention to advancing economic and trade relations in the coming years, President Ilham Aliyev said that there are good opportunities for cooperation in the field of investment.
The Azerbaijani President commended the fact that the two countries have been actively working on the establishment of international transport routes. At the same time, the head of state mentioned that Azerbaijan and Qatar had been engaged in productive cooperation to ensure international peace and security.
Referring to the mutual visits between the citizens of Azerbaijan and Qatar, the head of state emphasized that Azerbaijanis feel at home in Qatar, just as Qataris do in Azerbaijan.
The President of Azerbaijan wished the ambassador success in his activities, expressing his confidence that the relations between the two countries would continue to develop.
Expressing his gratitude for the kind words and reception, the ambassador conveyed the greetings of Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to the head of state. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked Mohammed Hamad Saad Al Fuhaid AlHajri to pass on his regards to the Amir of the State of Qatar.
The ambassador emphasized that he would spare no effort in further developing relations in line with the valuable ideas of the President of Azerbaijan regarding the bilateral relations agenda. Touching on the importance of economic and trade relations, the diplomat stressed the significance of development of collaboration in the field of investment.
Congratulating Azerbaijan for hosting the COP29, Mohammed Hamad Saad Al Fuhaid AlHajri said that Qatar would be represented at a high level at this event.
President Ilham Aliyev noted that preparations for the COP29 are in the final phase.
During the meeting, discussions were concerned with cooperation in mutual investments, tourism, transport and other areas. They also praised the existence of air transport between the two countries and the regular growth dynamics of passenger traffic.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Akambi Andre Okunlola-Biau, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Benin.
The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.
President Ilham Aliyev had a conversation with the ambassador.
The head of state stressed the necessity of expanding bilateral agenda, noting that Azerbaijan is actively working on the African continent, with the country’s embassy operating in the African Union. The Azerbaijani President expressed the country’s interest in comprehensively enhancing relations with this organization. President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled cooperation with Benin during Azerbaijan’s four-year chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, commending Benin's role as a member state in supporting Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the organization. The head of state noted that the country’s chairmanship of this Movement created a good opportunity to establish close contacts with African countries and mentioned the significance of COP29 in terms of cooperation with these countries. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan values the interests of African countries regarding climate issues.
The head of state highlighted the prospects for cooperation between the two countries in economic, trade, agricultural, educational, and other areas.
Expressing gratitude for the kind words, the ambassador conveyed the greetings of Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, to the President of Azerbaijan and stated that the Benin President holds a friendly attitude toward the Azerbaijani leader.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked the diplomat to communicate his own regards to the President of Benin, adding that he looks forward to seeing President Patrice Talon at COP29.
Conveying his congratulations on COP29 and the ongoing successful preparations for this event in the country, the ambassador noted that Azerbaijan will become the center of the world in November and emphasized that Benin intends to be represented at a high level at COP29.
Akambi Andre Okunlola-Biau conveyed his congratulations on Azerbaijan's successful chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, expressing his satisfaction with the special attention given to the African continent during the country’s chairmanship.
During the conversation, the sides praised the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Benin within international organizations, particularly the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other institutions, noting that the two countries consistently support each other's candidacies in the UN and its structures.
Highlighting that five students from Benin studied in Azerbaijan last year under the country's scholarship program for African countries, the ambassador expressed his gratitude for this opportunity.
The meeting included an exchange of views on training various personnel from Benin in Azerbaijan, expanding economic and trade relations, and enhancing cooperation in the agricultural sector.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Väino Reinart, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Estonia.
The ambassador presented his credentials to the President of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev engaged in a conversation with the ambassador, emphasizing the importance of expanding the bilateral relations agenda and identifying new opportunities for cooperation in trade, economy, investment, and other sectors. He noted that there are promising prospects in this regard.
Väino Reinart, expressing his honor at being appointed as ambassador to Azerbaijan, mentioned that during this visit to Baku, he was deeply impressed by the ongoing development processes in the capital. He highlighted that Estonia values its relationship with Azerbaijan, both bilaterally and within international organizations.
The ambassador stated that Estonia is pleased to observe Azerbaijan's efforts toward achieving a peace treaty with Armenia and supports international efforts in this area.
Touching upon bilateral relations, Väino Reinart said there are great opportunities to deepen cooperation, expressing hope for the development of economic ties.
The President emphasized the importance of reciprocal visits, highlighting the significance of his own visit to Estonia and the Estonian President's visit to Azerbaijan for developing bilateral relations.
On the political relations, the head of state highlighted the importance of discussing the development of ties both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union and other international institutions.
Touching on the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, the head of state noted that Azerbaijan has been the initiator of this process and has put forward the basic principles of the peace treaty. The President of Azerbaijan, who mentioned that active work is underway in this direction, stressed the importance of reaching agreements on all provisions of the peace treaty and underscored the significance of each provision for the regional stability.
During the conversation, there was also an exchange of views on Azerbaijan's cooperation with the European Union and issues related to COP29.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Ole Toft, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.
President Ilham Aliyev had a conversation with the ambassador.
The head of state stated that not much work has been done regarding cooperation to date, emphasizing that there are good opportunities for developing relations in potential areas, including trade.
Touching upon political relations, President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan's partnership with several member states of the European Union is in an active phase. The head of state highlighted the importance of discussions on regional policy at this historical moment, which is significant for the region.
The ambassador said that he would spare no effort to develop cooperation between the two countries in various areas, including trade, emphasizing that the understanding among Danish politicians of Azerbaijan as an important country connecting Europe with Central Asia is increasing. He underscored that Azerbaijan is developing toward becoming a hub for trade, energy, and infrastructure, noting that Danish companies could play a role in these efforts.
The head of state highlighted ongoing significant efforts in Azerbaijan to attract investments in the oil, gas, and green energy sectors, adding that active initiatives are also underway for the country to become an international hub for green energy and transportation.
President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that despite the lack of access to open seas, Azerbaijan is located at the crossroads of the North-South and East-West corridors. “We have succeeded in establishing one of the largest international shipping fleets, as well as modern transportation infrastructure, including railways, highways, seaports, and airline companies.” The Azerbaijani President stated that all this creates a solid platform for international cooperation and positions the corridor as the best route for transport between the East and West through Azerbaijan.
The President also highlighted the continuous increase in cargo transportation in Azerbaijan, noting the active digitization of transportation infrastructure and customs, which will facilitate the growth and efficiency of transport operations.
The Danish ambassador acknowledged Azerbaijan's successful development strategy and its ambition to become a regional transportation and logistics center.
Discussions addressed Denmark's extensive experience in transportation. They highlighted the operations of Danish companies in this field and the significant prospects for cooperation between the two countries in transportation and logistics.
The ambassador conveyed his congratulations regarding COP29, highlighting its global significance. They noted that the climate delegations from Denmark and Azerbaijan maintain good relations and cooperate constructively within the COP29 framework and exchanged ideas on joint initiatives between the two countries in this area.
During the conversation, prospects for cooperation in various sectors were explored, including direct interactions among business circles and collaboration in green energy and green technologies.
The head of state specifically mentioned Azerbaijan's active role in creating a "green energy corridor" linking the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. He highlighted the planned cable line under the Black Sea connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, as well as renewable energy projects aimed at linking Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – with Azerbaijan through the Caspian Sea.
They also emphasized the increasing energy demands of the European Union and highlighted the importance of this corridor as an emerging alternative energy source based on green energy.
Discussions included matters related to cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union.
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