Azerbaijan expects a response from the OSCE Minsk Group in accordance with the new geopolitical realities. The statement came from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressing the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, the Azerbaijani media reported, citing the press service of the Azerbaijani leader.

Aliyev thanked President Charles Michel of the European Council for always keeping regional issues on the agenda. He especially noted that on the initiative of the European Council head, constructive talks took place Tuesday in Brussels between the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia, and which lasted about five hours. Aliyev attached importance to Charles Michel's contribution to the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and noted that these talks were detailed, in which the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the delimitation and demarcation of their borders, and construction of transport infrastructure—in particular, of railways—were discussed.

Also, President Aliyev noted that there was a constructive atmosphere between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the sixth Eastern Partnership Summit, and stressed the role of the European Union in the formation of this atmosphere. Aliyev said it was important not to miss this opportunity and use it to continue efforts to ensure lasting peace in the region.

The Azerbaijani leader stressed that during international events in previous years, the Armenian leadership "usually made baseless and accusatory statements against Azerbaijan." Evaluating positively the fact that this time it did not happen, Ilham Aliyev noted that he did not speak directly against Armenia. He said that this attests to the creation of fertile ground for the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Referring to the role of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ilham Aliyev noted that no results have been achieved during the 28 years of negotiations. Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan expects a response from the OSCE Minsk Group in accordance with the new geopolitical realities. According to him, the Azerbaijani side believes that the Minsk Group can help prepare a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, delimit their borders, establish contacts between people, strengthen confidence-building measures, and in other matters.

Touching upon the issue of minefields in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) territories now occupied by Azerbaijan, its president noted that so far about 200 people were killed or injured in related landmine explosions. In this regard, he stressed the importance of providing technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan by the European Union and its bloc member countries to eliminate this problem.

At the end of his speech, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan once again thanked the President of the European Council for his contribution to the efforts toward the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.