UPDATE - Azerbaijan, Pakistan vow to broaden bilateral relations

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By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan and Pakistan on Thursday vowed to broaden bilateral relations as foreign ministers of the two countries met in Islamabad.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar hosted his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, who arrived in the South Asian country on a two-day official visit.

Dar and Bayramov also held delegation-level talks, reviewed progress on ties and exchanged views on regional and global developments.

They "expressed strong commitment and resolve to further strengthen bilateral strategic relations and broaden the scope of cooperation in all areas of interest, including trade, investment, energy, defense, education, climate action, and regional connectivity," according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

In a joint press briefing live-streamed on social media, Bayramov said his visit to Pakistan “will be a step forward to the further development of friendship and strategic partner relationship between our brotherly countries.”

The visiting foreign minister also briefed the Pakistani side about the post-conflict situation with Armenia, and rehabilitation and reconstruction work in liberated territories of Karabakh.

Baku has always appreciated “firm political and moral support” from Pakistan in its conflict with Armenia, Bayramov said.

“Our position on the issue of Jammu Kashmir has always been consistent as well,” he stressed. “Azerbaijan supports peaceful solution of this problem based on the norms and principles of international law and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council as well as with full respect for international humanitarian law."

Dar, for his part, said the two countries will also "bolster cooperation in climate action and renewable energy sector.”

“We also discussed our cooperation on international fora, and regional and global developments including the concerning developments in Gaza,” he said. “Both countries are firm supporters of multilateralism and up to uphold international law."

He appreciated Azerbaijan for its "consistent and principled on Jammu and Kashmir dispute" and congratulated the country on restoring sovereignty in Karabakh.

Islamabad “fully supports” Azerbaijan’s peace efforts and dialogue process for normalization, added Dar, who is also the deputy prime minister.​​​​​​​

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have remained tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that also opened the door to normalization.

Last September, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh following an "anti-terrorist operation" after which separatist forces in the region surrendered.​​​​​​​​​​​​