Baku: Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, recently met with Abraham Hamadeh, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, during Hamadeh's visit to the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan disclosed the details of the meeting to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, discussions during the meeting touched upon the current state and future prospects of Azerbaijan-U.S. relations, addressing regional and international security issues, energy security, and the improvement of transport and communication links. The meeting also covered the post-conflict situation in the South Caucasus. Minister Bayramov highlighted the significance of the Summit held in Washington in August last year, which he stated had advanced the bilateral and regional relations to a new level. The Strategic Partnership Charter signed between Azerbaijan and the United States was mentioned as a crucial foundation for enhancing cooperation in political dialogue, economic collaboration, energy, and security.
The meeting also noted the inaugural Azerbaijan-U.S. Economic Cooperation Dialogue, during which ten cooperation documents were signed. These agreements spanned various sectors, including trade, investment, energy, transport, and digital development. The TRIPP project was also highlighted, which aims to bolster transport and communication links in the region by providing seamless connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
A key topic of discussion was the potential removal of restrictions in bilateral cooperation, specifically the repeal of Section 907. Minister Bayramov argued that lifting this restriction, which limits U.S. government assistance to Azerbaijan, aligns with the strategic partnership's spirit and would aid in expanding cooperation in security, energy, transport, economy, and regional stability. The minister described Section 907 as outdated, no longer reflecting current geopolitical realities or the partnership level between the two nations.
Further, the minister discussed Azerbaijan's significant role in Europe's energy security and the country's initiatives in green energy alongside traditional energy resources. He indicated that there are substantial opportunities for cooperation in this field between Azerbaijan and the U.S.
Additionally, the strategic importance of Azerbaijan's connections with Central Asian countries was underscored, with Azerbaijan's full membership in the Central Asia Consultative Meeting being highlighted as an avenue for extensive cooperation within the C6 format.
The Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process was also a topic of conversation. Minister Bayramov provided detailed insights into the normalization efforts and the reconstruction activities in Azerbaijan's liberated territories. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on other regional and international issues of mutual interest.