BAKU: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Julien de Fraipont, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium, Trend reports. During the ceremony, the ambassador presented his credentials and engaged in a conversation with President Aliyev, focusing on the enhancement of bilateral relations and regional stability. According to Trend News Agency, the head of state expressed his optimism for the development of bilateral ties and conveyed his best wishes to the ambassador for a successful tenure. Ambassador de Fraipont expressed his honor in serving in Azerbaijan and committed to fostering the bilateral relations in various sectors, including economic and political fields. He also conveyed his congratulations on Azerbaijan's hosting of COP29, describing it as a pivotal global initiative to tackle climate change. Ambassador de Fraipont noted that Belgium would participate actively in COP29, highlighting an opportunity for Be lgian companies specializing in energy transition and climate change to showcase their expertise in green energy. He emphasized the importance of regional stability and appreciated Azerbaijan's humanitarian contributions to Ukraine. The ambassador expressed Belgium's interest in the ongoing normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and reiterated his country's support for Azerbaijan's efforts in dealing with landmine issues through the activities of ANAMA. President Aliyev acknowledged the potential for deepening bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of meetings between the foreign ministers of both countries to discuss cooperation agendas. He highlighted that preparations for COP29 were nearly complete and that Azerbaijan aims to play a bridging role between different global regions during its presidency of COP. The head of state also touched upon the transition to green energy, noting that projects underway would significantly boost the share of renewables in the energy sector. He expresse d readiness to cooperate with Belgian companies in this area. President Aliyev further discussed the Azerbaijan-European Union relations, pointing out that Brussels had been a venue for fruitful negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He stressed that all provisions of the peace treaty were integral and criticized the Armenian government's proposal to sign agreed provisions and postpone the rest as unrealistic. President Aliyev concluded by addressing the European Union's role in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, urging the EU to maintain neutrality and avoid influencing the normalization process adversely. He criticized the extension of the European observation mission on the border without Azerbaijan's consent and stressed the need for fair involvement in the peace process. The Belgian ambassador thanked President Aliyev for the insights and reiterated his dedication to enhancing the bilateral relationship.