By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Armenia is deliberately delaying the peace process with Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Alev Kilic, Director of the Turkish Center for Eurasian Studies.

Kilic made the remarks at the panel discussion on “Think tanks in Azerbaijan and challenges facing them” within the 1st Forum of Azerbaijani Think Tanks on September 28 in Baku.

He underlined that the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia hasn’t been achieved due to the latter’s failure to resist external manipulations.

“We believe that Armenia will finally be able to make a sound decision and come to peace," Kilic said.

He also emphasized the importance of joint actions for peace and long-term prosperity.

"The South Caucasus has an advantageous geographical position, and we are part of this region. We must combine our efforts for the sake of peace and sustainable development and determine our roadmap," the diplomat added.

In the same vein, Witold de Chevilly, Executive Director at New Direction Belgian think tank, said that the opening of the Zangazur corridor represents an excellent chance to carry out massive projects in the South Caucasus.

"There will be lots of talk about Azerbaijan's success. The opening of the Zangazur corridor is a great opportunity to implement major projects in the South Caucasus," Chevilly stressed.

The EU is cooperating with countries, notably Azerbaijan, to overcome energy dependency, he noted.

"Europe is also interested in the potential of the Central Asian region. However, it's necessary to create a West-East corridor for this cooperation. And here again, the importance of the Zangazur corridor comes to the fore," Chevilly said.

Commenting on the importance of think tanks, he underlined that funding is a critical element in this regard.

"It's important to establish a network and attract experienced specialists," the director said.

Addressing the event, Saadat Yusifova, Deputy Head of the Department for Non-Governmental Organizations and Communications of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, stressed that Azerbaijan’s stunning victory in the 2020 second Karabakh war will go down in history.

“Azerbaijan has restored historical justice. We pray for our martyrs, who gave their lives for their Motherland, and wish recovery to the veterans,” she said.

Yusifova emphasized that the importance of think tanks is growing in light of present global tensions and concerns.

"Think tanks serve as a bridge between states and society. They are becoming global political actors. Events show that against the backdrop of global problems, national interests remain permanent," she added.