Kazakhstan is prepared to offer Almaty as a venue for peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia aimed at signing a peace treaty, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced during negotiations with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Azernews reports.
Day: October 15, 2024
On October 14, 2024, during a meeting with newly appointed Belgian ambassador Julien de Frepon, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev restated his position that all provisions of a potential peace agreement with Armenia must be addressed together, with no selective implementation of terms according to him.
This meeting, a formal occasion for Ambassador de Frepon to present his credentials, also touched on broader issues of Azerbaijan’s relations with Belgium and the European Union, as well as the ongoing peace negotiations with Armenia.
Aliyev dismissed the Armenian government’s recent proposal to sign the agreed-upon parts of the peace deal and leave unresolved issues for future discussions, calling the approach “unrealistic” and “without precedent”.
Negotiation Dynamics and Obstacles
According to Aliyev, the Brussels-mediated talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, facilitated by European Council President Charles Michel, had led to some progress. However, he expressed frustration that Armenia had allegedly chosen to withdraw from what he termed the “Brussels process.” He drew a comparison to past discussions under the “Madrid principles,” claiming that it had been agreed during those talks that no individual issues could be settled until all matters were resolved.
Aliyev criticized what he described as a shift in the stance of certain members of the OSCE Minsk Group, accusing them of supporting Armenia’s recent proposals. Nonetheless, he indicated Azerbaijan’s supposed willingness to continue pursuing peace, stating that “patience and realism” are necessary after decades of unresolved conflict.
EU Neutrality Questioned
Aliyev used the meeting to call on the European Union to maintain what he characterized as neutrality in the ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He suggested that some EU officials were not impartial, which, according to him, risks undermining trust in the process. He specifically criticized France’s role, alleging that its policies toward the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations were “destructive.”
Aliyev suggested that the EU’s increasing involvement in the peace process should avoid partisanship, remarking, “Some figures in Brussels are not maintaining neutrality, which creates mistrust.”
Concerns Over EU Monitoring Mission
Another issue Aliyev raised during the meeting was the EU’s monitoring mission in Armenia. He claimed that Azerbaijan had not been consulted about its extension, despite an earlier agreement allowing a limited mission for two months starting in October 2022. He described the conduct of the mission as “inappropriate” and indicated that Azerbaijan would address this in future discussions with the EU.
Broader Azerbaijan-EU Relations
While raising concerns about the EU’s involvement in the peace process, Aliyev emphasized the overall significance of Azerbaijan’s broader cooperation with the EU, especially in energy, transport, green energy, and trade. He remarked that the EU is Azerbaijan’s primary trading partner and warned that tensions surrounding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict should not be allowed to derail this relationship.
Belgian Ambassador Julien de Frepon, in his remarks, emphasized Belgium’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Azerbaijan. He highlighted the importance of regional stability and praised Azerbaijan’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as its demining efforts in cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA). De Frepon also welcomed the recent steps in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, affirming Belgium’s support for continued dialogue.
The post Aliyev’s position on peace talks and the EU shared in meeting with Belgian Ambassador appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
#GeorgianWine #Napareuli from Danieli Winery • დანიელის მეღვინეობა / Eka Tchvritidze 😉 served during our studio visit at Tsisia Kiladze #GeorgianWine & #GeorgianArt pic.twitter.com/p3eL8dmvp5
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) October 15, 2024
Georgia’s Accession to the European Union
EU leaders are planning to warn Georgia ahead of the elections that its government is jeopardizing the country’s path to the European Union, Reuters reports, citing the draft text of the final statement for the EU leaders’ summit scheduled for October 17-18 in Brussels.
“Georgia was granted candidate status for EU membership in December 2023, and polls show that the country’s citizens support integration with the EU. However, the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ party’s friendly rhetoric towards Russia, the controversial ‘foreign agent’ law requiring organizations funded from abroad to register as foreign agents, and legislation restricting LGBT rights have raised concerns in the West,” the publication writes.
According to the draft conclusion text, the EU reaffirms its readiness to support “the Georgian people on their path to Europe,” but also expresses “serious concern” regarding the actions of the Georgian government:
“The European Council notes that this course of action threatens Georgia’s path to the EU and effectively halts the accession process. The Council of Europe expects Georgian authorities to ensure that the upcoming elections are held in a free and fair environment.”
Notably, on October 14, a meeting of EU foreign ministers took place, followed by a press conference with EU High Representative Josep Borrell. Among other topics, he spoke about Georgia, stating that the situation there looks significantly worse compared to Moldova.
“We discussed the situation in Moldova and Georgia. Both countries face important elections in the coming weeks. Moldova is showing significant progress on its path to the European Union, despite increasing pressure from Russia… As for Georgia, the picture is bleaker [compared to Moldova].
The actions of the ruling party, its statements, and electoral promises are distancing the country from the European path and signal a potential shift towards authoritarianism. As a result, the EU accession process is de facto suspended…
We will see how the upcoming parliamentary elections go, which will be an important test for Georgian democracy and its path to joining the European Union,” Borrell stated.
On October 15, the situation in Georgia will be discussed at the General Affairs Council meeting of the European Union.
The meeting will take place in Luxembourg, and as indicated in the agenda on the official EU website, the primary focus will be on the situation in Georgia in the context of the upcoming elections. The German delegation will present the report on this issue.
Studio of Tsisia Kiladze @tsisiakiladze in Tbilisi, Georgia.
There will be an exhibition of her works in Naumburg @kunsthalle_naumburg over the New Year. Let yourself be surprised … #GeorgianArt pic.twitter.com/TmFqmvMIz7
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) October 15, 2024
