Top Azerbaijani, Russian officials discuss bilateral ties, trilateral working group

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk met in Baku on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations and the trilateral working group including Armenia.

According to a statement by the Azerbaijani presidency, the sides lauded "the dynamic development" of bilateral relations on the basis of agreements reached between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, and the cooperation in various fields, including economic, trade, transport, and energy.

The talks also emphasized the progress in all areas and an "increase in turnover," adding that an exchange in views on the North-South transport corridor was also conducted.

“During the conversation, the sides discussed the activities of the trilateral Azerbaijan-Russia-Armenia working group established for the purpose of restoring transport and economic relations in the region regarding the implementation of the Nov. 10 statement,” the statement further said.

The meeting between Aliyev and Overchuk came a day after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Yerevan intends to sign a peace deal with Azerbaijan by the end of the year.

According to a report by Russian state-run news agency TASS, Pashinyan also confirmed that a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia will take place on Oct. 31 in Sochi, Russia.