In a recent article published in the American magazine Newsweek, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, drew attention to Azerbaijan's efforts in combating the climate crisis and achieving regional peace. He also highlighted the importance of bilateral agreements with Armenia.
According to Report, the article contains significant calls from Azerbaijan to the international community ahead of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).
Hajiyev emphasized that the event will not only focus on climate-related matters but will also prioritize the theme of peace and security.
In his article Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan has called for a "COP truce."
"Based on the ancient idea of the Olympic truce, this represents a plea for countries to observe a pause in conflict while nations negotiate remedies for the climate emergency on the planet we all share," he said.
He noted that while some might believe this overambitious, it would be a mistake not to try, especially "when the COP29 meeting in Baku is itself the product of a truce."
The presidential aide noted that it was bilateral peace talks with Armenia that played a key role in getting the right to host COP29. Hajiyev noted the historic agreements achieved between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the exchange of prisoners and the activity of the border delimitation commissions. He stressed that this process is an important step towards a peace deal.
However, Hajiyev underlined that the territorial claims contained in the Armenian constitution and the intensive militarization of Armenia by western countries hinder the peace process. The article notes that during COP29, Azerbaijan will focus not only climate issues but also ensuring stability in the region.
Hikmat Hajiyev emphasized Azerbaijan's determination to contribute to achieving a global climate agreement at this summit and called on the international community to demonstrate solidarity during these critical discussions.