BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12. Most impressive development in Azerbaijan is progress towards peace with Armenia, UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld said during a farewell event with media representatives, Trend reports.
The ambassador also commended Azerbaijan’s efforts to manage regional tensions and pursue de-escalation.
“I commend Azerbaijan's efforts to manage their relationship with Iran and de-escalate tensions despite repeated provocations,” he noted.
Recalling his arrival in Azerbaijan in early 2022, Auld said traces of the 44-day war were still visible at the time.
“I arrived in Ganja in January 2022 when rocket damage from the recent 44-day war was still visible around the city,” he said.
Auld highlighted recent diplomatic developments between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the participation of President Ilham Aliyev in the European Political Community summit in Yerevan and the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev to Armenia to co-chair the bilateral border commission.
“Sustainable peace will require patience and effort for many more years, and on all signs, Azerbaijan has come such a long way in the time I've spent here,” he added.
The ambassador also described COP29 as one of the key highlights of his tenure in Azerbaijan.
“My proudest moment was perhaps COP29. Baku hosted its largest event ever, the most complex set of negotiations on the most important of global issues, tackling climate change, at a time of very challenging geopolitics,” Auld said.
He praised Azerbaijan’s organization of the climate summit and noted the UK’s support for the process.
“Azerbaijan did brilliantly, and the UK was very pleased to stand alongside and support it,” he added.
Auld also noted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer became the first British premier to visit Azerbaijan during COP29, while seven British ministers attended the event.
