Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that he hopes that the current ceasefire agreement will lead to normalization with Armenia, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after meeting with Aliyev, confirmed his confidence in the agreement, calling on Azerbaijan to open roads and remove barriers.
The Azerbaijani presidency stated - in a statement - that Aliyev met with a Russian delegation that includes Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Alexei Overchuk, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, and Head of the Human Health Protection and Consumer Rights Unit Anna Popova.
During the meeting, Aliyev said that the joint statement between Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to stop the war in the Karabakh region, is an important step for establishing a strong and long-term peace in the region.
Aliyev stressed that his Russian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan played an important role in ensuring the ceasefire and regional security, noting that his country welcomes the Russian-Turkish talks to establish a joint center in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani president added that he hopes that the current ceasefire agreement will lead to normalization with the Armenian side and create a state of stability and cooperation in the region, considering that the agreement is being successfully implemented.
For his part, Lavrov pointed out during the meeting that his country always attaches special importance to Aliyev's emphasis on reconciliation in the region, and expressed his confidence that all the actions that will be carried out in the region are directed to the peoples of the region and not to foreign interests.
Lavrov said that there are attempts to question the ceasefire agreement, but he believes that they will fail because the Minsk group - which includes the United States and France - stressed the importance of resolving the conflict based on the foundations that are being applied now, he said.
He added - in an interview with reporters after the meeting - "I discussed the issue of opening land roads in the region, and these roads will open promising prospects, as well as removing the barriers that have been built there for decades."
Lavrov stressed that Turkey is an essential element in the region, and that it is a partner of his country in several aspects.
"Of course, Azerbaijan is a sovereign state, and it has the right to choose its partners, as well as Armenia, so when talking about any initiative, the factors affecting here or there must be taken into account," he added.
On November 10, Putin announced that Azerbaijan and Armenia had reached an agreement providing for a ceasefire in the Karabakh region, with the two countries' forces remaining stationed in their current areas of control, and Azerbaijan regaining control over each of the Aghdam governorate until 20 November. Laachen until early December.