President Aliyev: Azerbaijan committed to negotiations on Karabakh issue

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Welcoming the high-ranking Russian official, President Aliyev said that on Apr.7, Baku hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan. "We are very pleased that this meeting, the first such meeting is taking place in our country," he said. "I think this is the beginning of a very serious process of regional cooperation between our countries." Azerbaijan is the only country in the world, which borders both with Russia and Iran, said the president, adding that such a geographical location, as well as the history of relations between the peoples of the three countries and the current cooperation Azerbaijan and Russia, of course, makes it necessary to intensify cooperation in a multilateral format. President Ilham Aliyev said that issues related to the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, political engagement, transportation issues, energy, and others are being discussed at the meeting in a spirit of mutual understanding and constructivism. The president further said that Lavrov's visit is a good opportunity to discuss bilateral issues. "We are very pleased to see how relations are built between our countries," Ilham Aliyev said, adding that they include high-level relations of strategic partnership, which cover almost all spheres. President Aliyev said that Russia and Azerbaijan are two friends, two neighbors. "We value these relations and try to strengthen and develop them," the president said. "This concerns political, humanitarian cooperation, economy, energy, and, of course, the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." President Aliyev said that as everyone knows, the situation has recently aggravated on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which has led to human losses. "Of course, this is a matter of concern in the world and in the region," the president said. The president added that the recent situation on the line of contact also causes public concern. "In this case, Russia once again took the initiative," the president said. "The ceasefire agreement was reached with the Russian side's mediation." "We believe that this is only way to prevent an escalation in the region," the president said. "The ceasefire regime was observed, and unfortunately, the Armenian side violated it again." "We are committed to the continuation of the negotiation process," Ilham Aliyev said. The president said that he received the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group. "I have also told the co-chairmen, ambassadors and I want to tell the press that Azerbaijan is committed to the negotiation process," the president said. "We want to settle this conflict peacefully, on the basis of norms and principles of the international law." "I think that all these years - more than 20 years that have passed since the ceasefire testify to the fact that we are committed to the political settlement," the president said. "Of course, we will also discuss all these questions with you," the president said. "I am sure that your visit will be another important step in strengthening our relations."