Hikmat Hajiyev: regions can benefit from multilateral cooperation

Hikmat Hajiyev: regions can benefit from multilateral cooperation

Regional cooperation beyond bilateral ties, including trilateral and multilateral formats, can be beneficial, Hikmat Hajiyev, aide to the Azerbaijani president and head of the presidential administrationchr("39")s foreign policy department, said, Olaylar informs.

Speaking at a panel held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, he said Azerbaijan supports the idea that countries in the region should shape their own order.

Commenting on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Hajiyev said that for 30 years various parties had dictated settlement options to Baku.

He said that when countries take leadership in their own region, they are able to define their legitimate interests and find appropriate solutions, adding that others should not set the agenda for them. He noted that there are shared responsibilities and that the region includes many "brotherly countries," stressing that integration is essential.

Hajiyev added that while bilateral relations play a key role, trilateral and multilateral cooperation can also bring benefits.

He cited ties between Türkiye and Azerbaijan as particularly important, adding that formats such as Azerbaijan-Iran, Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Georgia, and Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Iran cooperation could also be included.

He said Azerbaijan intends to channel its hydrocarbon energy potential in the Caspian Sea for the benefit of the entire region.

He added that this approach would serve the interests of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and other regional countries, and could also help ensure interregional prosperity.