The relations between Baku and Washington are entering a new phase, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.
“Today, the relations between the United States and Azerbaijan are entering an absolutely new phase. In the charter, which we signed [today] with our dear guest, there are different directions of our cooperation. We will continue to work closely on the issues related to security anti-terror operations. We will continue to work closely on the issues related to energy security,” Aliyev said in a joint statement with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Baku on Tuesday.
The talks with the vice president were very productive, Aliyev said. “We had a very good conversation today. […] Today’s ceremonial signing of charter on strategic partnership is a reflection of a very hard work which our teams conducted for six months. For us, it’s a great honor to be a strategic partner to the most powerful country of the world, the United States of America,” Aliyev said.
One of the main results of cooperation with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, Aliyev said. This project will benefit not only Armenia but also other countries in the region, he said.
A new page is opening in Washington-Baku relations, Vance said. “I think that it will be a stronger and even better relationship under President Trump’s leadership and under President Aliyev’s leadership here in Azerbaijan,” he said.
Vance also conveyed best wishes from the U.S. president personally to the Azerbaijani president. For a long time, this partnership and friendship were underrated, despite their great importance for the U.S., Vance said.
“I think that partnership of the United States and Azerbaijan will lead to greater peace and prosperity in the region. It will lead to more access to more markets for the workers of the United States of America and it’s just going to create a much better world, where people are engaging in commerce with one another rather than fighting with one another,” Vance said.
The signing of the Charter on Strategic Partnership with Azerbaijan solidifies the achieved level of cooperation “and make it very clear that the United States-Azerbaijan relationship is one that will stick, is one that will continue to produce great fruits for both of our peoples,” he said.
