Analysis by Farhad Mammadov (@mneniyefm)
On the sidelines of the European Political Community summit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a series of high-level meetings, with two in particular drawing close attention – his talks with the leaders of France and the Netherlands.
For years, both Paris and The Hague took some of the toughest anti-Azerbaijani positions in Europe. Their parliaments adopted hostile resolutions, while their governments pursued coordinated policies critical of Baku within the European Union.
But the joint statement signed in Washington has shifted perceptions of Azerbaijan across Europe. The initiative for direct meetings with President Aliyev from France and the Netherlands underscores how quickly this transformation is taking shape.
Azerbaijan, Mammadov stresses, has never been the instigator of strained relations, only responding to unacceptable moves and rhetoric.
Today, both Azerbaijan and Armenia appear to be moving past the legacy of conflict – at least in their external diplomacy. Yerevan has established diplomatic ties with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and is advancing normalization with Turkey. Baku, meanwhile, is preparing to sign a Strategic Partnership Charter with the United States, is signaling readiness to deepen ties with the EU, and is engaging with France and the Netherlands.
“Luxembourg remains,” Mammadov quipped, “but eventually, there too paths will cross.”
