The direct meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Abu Dhabi is being assessed as an important event for the future of the region. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to the APA news agency, the negotiations between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan lasted for more than four hours. During the meeting, urgent political issues such as the peace treaty, the Nakhchivan exclave and the road issue between Azerbaijan's main territory, as well as border delimitation were discussed.
The meeting was held face-to-face with the participation of advisors. Additionally, working groups led by the foreign ministers and deputy prime ministers of both countries were also involved in the process.
Another significant aspect of this meeting is that, at a time when Russia's influence in the region has diminished, a new phase is being entered with the diplomatic support of the European Union and the United States. While Russia was previously the main mediator for both countries, the influence of Moscow has significantly weakened due to the war in Ukraine.
Yerevan and Baku are now trying to directly resolve regional issues and are expanding the involvement of the global community. The support of Turkey and the USA for reconciliation, while Russia only formally supports normalization, has created a new geopolitical situation in the Caucasus.
Experts are evaluating this meeting as a genuine rapprochement and a decisive phase. According to Olesya Vartanyan, the leaders' entry into direct communication for the first time is considered a serious step.
Officials from both countries referred to this as a historic moment, and although they did not fully disclose the outcomes of the negotiations, they emphasized that the meeting was held in a constructive spirit. At the same time, no significant progress was observed in the negotiations.
No specific information was provided regarding the date or location for signing the peace treaty. There are also no clear agreements on opening roads and communications.
This indicates that deep mistrust between the two peoples continues and that mere political will is not enough to restore friendly relations. Following the negotiations, the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan is mainly viewed as an opportunity to reduce Russia's influence in the South Caucasus.
In 2022, as a result of the war in Ukraine, Russia's regional influence declined, but both countries are concerned that the Kremlin is trying to restore its position. In fact, the meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan is an important milestone achieved as a result of many years of diplomatic efforts and summits.
Yerevan is now ready for direct negotiations due to a decrease in trust in Russia's protection, but there is currently no decisive agreement. In conclusion, the meeting held in Abu Dhabi is a new step in the long and complex peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Although there are many unresolved issues between the neighboring countries, this meeting has created new opportunities for rapprochement and cooperation. The most important task for the region is to achieve real peace by overcoming historical enmities, mistrust, and external influences.
The key role in this will be played by the courage of the leaders and the strong will of both peoples.
