Ankara: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on Monday met with UK Minister of State for Europe, North America, and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty in Baku. The discussions centered around the normalization process with Armenia, regional connectivity, and the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two nations.

According to Anadolu Agency, Doughty congratulated Aliyev on the progress made in Washington, DC, toward achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He reaffirmed the UK's readiness to support the ongoing process, as stated in a release from the Azerbaijan presidency. Doughty also highlighted the importance of agreements related to regional transport links and commended Baku's successful hosting of the COP29 climate summit.

President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the UK's support and reiterated Azerbaijan's commitment to advancing peace efforts with Armenia. He also mentioned his recent meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during COP29, emphasizing the robust political dialogue between Azerbaijan and the UK.

The discussions further explored opportunities for broader cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UK, particularly in areas such as the economy, trade, education, and information technologies. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the current state of political relations.

Energy cooperation was a significant focus during the talks, with Aliyev and Doughty praising the longstanding partnership with BP. This collaboration includes traditional oil and gas projects as well as an expanding focus on renewable energy initiatives.