Baku views Aliyev-Pashinyan meeting in Brussels as productive - Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry

BAKU. May 15 (Interfax) - The meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which took place in Brussels on May 14 with the assistance of European Council President Charles Michel, was useful for promoting the peace agenda, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We believe that the fifth meeting between the Azerbaijani president and the Armenian prime minister organized by the European Council president in this format on May 14 was useful and oriented towards results, from the perspective of promoting the agenda of normalizing [relations] between the two states," the ministry said.

"Another meeting in the Brussels format, suspended nine months ago because of numerous attempts to interfere and dictate terms, is important above all for encouraging dialogue between the sides at the highest level," it said.

The two sides had a detailed exchange of views aimed at achieving tangible results in agreeing the draft of an Azerbaijani-Armenian peace agreement, the delimitation of borders, and reopening communications, the ministry said.

"The sides were once again informed about Azerbaijan's principled position on ensuring peace and stability in the region. For instance, a confirmation of respect for states' territorial integrity and Armenia's acceptance of Azerbaijani territorial integrity, recognized at the international level, have a special significance in this context," it said.

The meeting presented an opportunity to discuss humanitarian issues that are important for post-conflict normalization, the ministry said. "In his context, the importance of clarifying the fate of missing persons and speeding up demining measures was emphasized once again," it said.

"Normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia through mutual recognition and respect for each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and international borders is the only way to lasting peace and stability in the region," the ministry said.

"We hail related efforts which facilitate progress in normalizing relations, and reaffirm our readiness to continue the dialogue and interaction with international partners pursuing this goal," the ministry said.