Discussions on Azerbaijan–Armenia peace process held in Belgrade

A roundtable discussion titled "Prospects for Peace, Cooperation and Security: Azerbaijan and Armenia after the Washington Summit" was held in Belgrade.

According to Report's Balkan bureau, the event, organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Serbia, was dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.

The roundtable brought together prominent experts and diplomats to discuss the changing geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus and to analyze possible avenues for cooperation.

In his remarks, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Serbia, Kamil Khasiyev, noted that on the night of February 25–26, 1992, the city of Khojaly was seized by Armenian armed forces with the support of the 366th Motor Rifle Regiment of the former USSR.

The diplomat emphasized that the national legislative bodies of 18 countries, as well as 24 US states, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization of Turkic States have adopted a number of resolutions and decisions condemning the genocide against civilians and recognizing it as a crime against humanity and an act of genocide.

The ambassador noted that, however, years later, justice had prevailed.

According to Khasiyev, despite nearly 30 years of military conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which resulted in numerous casualties and destruction, the South Caucasus is today closer than ever to sustainable peace, security and cooperation.

"Six months after the historic summit in Washington have been months of progress toward partnership, cooperation and a long-term comprehensive peace. This period has been extremely important for the development of our relations. Restrictions on cargo transportation from Azerbaijan to Armenia have been lifted, and exports to Armenia have begun. In other words, over the past six months, cooperation has been launched, and trade relations are expanding," the ambassador stressed.

He also recalled that last autumn Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly appealed to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe with a request to dissolve the Minsk Group and its related structures.

For his part, Tural Jafarov, attaché of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Serbia, focused on the prospects for normalization of relations following the meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia on August 8 in Washington.

"In recent years, the South Caucasus has undergone significant transformations. In 2023, the full restoration of Azerbaijan"s sovereignty and territorial integrity shaped a new geopolitical reality in the region. Today, the key question is how to transform this reality into a sustainable peace treaty, how to ensure long-term security, and how to gradually move from decades of confrontation toward a future based on coexistence and cooperation. In this sense, following the Washington Summit, a favorable moment has emerged to discuss prospects for peace, cooperation and security between Azerbaijan and Armenia."

Gunel Babanli, Head of the Center for Azerbaijani Language and Culture at the University of Belgrade and representative of the Diaspora Committee in Serbia, noted that Khojaly symbolizes years of pain that left a deep mark on the lives of thousands of people.

Neven Sveticanin, President of the Forum for Strategic Studies (FORST) and former member of the National Assembly of Serbia, emphasized in his opening remarks that the process of peace and rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Armenia should be viewed not only in a bilateral context but also within a broader geopolitical framework.

In her concluding remarks, Dean of the Faculty of International Politics and Security at Nikola Tesla University, Violeta Rashkovic-Talovic, stated that modernization needs shape a unique dynamic in foreign policy:

"That is why Azerbaijan, relying on its substantial resources and transit potential, has developed a multi-vector foreign policy course as a rational response to international competition and regional instability. The goal is to ensure sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic prosperity by maintaining a balance between various centers of power.

In Azerbaijan's case, the multi-vector model manifests itself as a well-considered ‘political portfolio' approach. Baku develops a strategic partnership with Türkiye, maintains functional relations with Russia and Iran, and builds intensive cooperation with the European Union and the United States, primarily in the field of energy security, economic ties, and regional stability."