Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Ignazio Cassis, member of the Swiss Federal Council, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Operative Information Center-OMM reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the meeting via its social media account on X.
The discussions covered the bilateral agenda, Switzerland's priorities during its OSCE chairmanship, and the current state of Azerbaijan-OSCE cooperation. The ministers also addressed the post-conflict situation in the region and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The ministers noted that next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Switzerland. This milestone is viewed as a significant opportunity to evaluate the partnership formed over the past three and a half decades.
Both sides emphasized the importance of continuing high-level contacts and regular political consultations between their respective foreign ministries. In this regard, the significance of the political consultations held in Baku this past April was highlighted, with both parties stressing the importance of continuing this mechanism on a regular basis.
During the discussions, the parties touched upon expanding economic cooperation through the Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. It was emphasized that the energy sector is one of the main pillars of bilateral economic relations. In this context, the successful operations of "SOCAR Energy" in Switzerland were noted as an important example of mutually beneficial cooperation.
The ministers also underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in the fields of culture, education, and science to further strengthen people-to-people ties.
Special attention was paid to the priorities of Switzerland's OSCE chairmanship. Azerbaijan welcomed the chairmanship's focus on science and diplomacy, innovative technologies, water resource management, energy security, and digital security, emphasizing their role in addressing modern challenges.
Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated that in an increasingly complex security environment within the OSCE area, the organization must fully utilize its comprehensive security concept and broad geographical membership to maintain its relevance and role in resolving regional security issues. He reaffirmed Azerbaijan's support for effective multilateralism based on the principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect, inclusive dialogue, and consensus among participating states.
Addressing the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov briefed his counterpart on the current stage of the peace process, the de facto peaceful conditions between the two countries, and the confidence-building measures being implemented. He noted that the progress achieved in the bilateral format demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.
Regarding cooperation with the OSCE, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov reiterated Azerbaijan's readiness to continue practical cooperation in areas of mutual interest where the organization has relevant experience and can add value.
The Minister also described the extensive contamination of Azerbaijan's territories with mines and other explosive remnants of war as one of the country's most serious humanitarian problems. He noted the importance of practical support from the OSCE within its mandate and capabilities to address this issue.
During the meeting, an exchange of views also took place regarding the situation surrounding Ukraine, processes in the Middle East, and other regional and international security issues.
