Elnur Mammadov, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed the 134th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, held on May 13–14 in Luxembourg.

In his remarks, Deputy Minister Mammadov emphasized that negotiations on the draft Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia had been concluded in March.

He noted that amending Armenia’s constitution to eliminate territorial claims against Azerbaijan is a key prerequisite for signing the negotiated agreement. Mammadov also highlighted the need to formally abolish the obsolete and non-functional Minsk Group and related OSCE structures.

He reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to continuing bilateral dialogue on these and other issues related to the normalization process between the two countries.

The Deputy Foreign Minister described the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) decision not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan’s parliamentary delegation in January of last year as legally unfounded. He stressed the importance of resolving the issue promptly to ensure the unconditional restoration of Azerbaijan’s participation in the Assembly, which should serve as a platform for inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation.

On May 14, Deputy FM Mammadov also held meetings with Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, and Gianluca Esposito, Director General for Human Rights and Rule of Law. The meetings included discussions on issues of mutual interest.