Category: Azer News

On October 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron in Copenhagen.

President Macron congratulated the Azerbaijani head of state on the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the progress achieved in advancing the peace agenda.

Expressing gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the historic significance of the results achieved in Washington, witnessed by the President of the United States, in promoting regional peace. The Azerbaijani President noted that joint efforts are currently underway in various areas to further advance the peace agenda.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the current state and future prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and France.

Azerbaijan’s swimming team has concluded the third CIS Games with 13 medals, Azernews reports.

On the final (fifth) day of the competitions held at the Ganja Sports Palace, Azerbaijani representatives Suleyman Ismayilzade won a gold medal, and Anastasia Gnussina won a bronze medal.

They excelled in the 400 and 1500 meters freestyle events, respectively.

With this, Azerbaijan’s swimming team has concluded the III CIS Games with a total of 13 medals.

Azerbaijan is hosting the third Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games from September 28 to October 8, 2025, marking a significant event in the region’s sports calendar.

This multi-sport competition brings together athletes from CIS member states and invited countries, aiming to promote friendship, cooperation, and athletic excellence.

For the first time in the history of the CIS Games, competitions are being held across seven cities in Azerbaijan: Ganja, Mingachevir, Gabala, Shaki, Goygol, Yevlakh, and Khankandi.

Each city hosts events in different sports, with the second-largest city, Ganja, serving as the main hub and officially designated the CIS Sports Capital for 2025.

Around 23 sports are being contested across 12 venues, highlighting a broad and inclusive athletic program.

A total of 1,624 athletes from 13 countries had confirmed participation. Event mascots Babir and Leyla are helping to generate enthusiasm among young fans.

On October 2, during the ongoing trial at the Baku Military Court concerning crimes committed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia, victim Ilham Mammadov gave testimony.

Azernews reports that Mammadov recounted that on May 10, 2002, while serving in the army and heading to his post in the Haram plain, he was captured by Armenian armed forces. He stated that he had been unarmed at the time. After being taken prisoner, Armenian soldiers beat and tortured him. One of the officers, he noted, displayed particular brutality. Mammadov later learned that the officer’s name was Levon.

Answering questions from state prosecutors, the victim pointed directly at the accused, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and identified him as the officer who had beaten him. He testified: ‘He hit me first with his fist, then with the butt of his rifle. He forced me to climb onto a trench and fired his weapon. At that moment, my back was turned toward the positions of the Azerbaijani Army. He made me stand in such a way that my own soldiers could have shot me by mistake. Later, they forced me to walk through mined areas.’

Mammadov said he was held for a week in Azerbaijani territories under Armenian occupation at the time, before being transferred to Armenia. He remained in captivity for six months and 15 days before being handed back to Azerbaijan.

Responding to questions from the defense, the victim stated that he had not known Mnatsakanyan prior to his capture and was unaware of his military rank at that time. ‘But from the way others treated him, I assume he was the chief of staff,’ he added.

In response to Mnatsakanyan’s own questions, Mammadov confirmed that he was born in 1973 and held the rank of first lieutenant at the time of his capture. He explained: ‘I graduated from the Azerbaijan Agricultural Institute, which had a military department, and was granted an officer’s rank upon completion.’

The trial continues against several citizens of Armenia accused of committing numerous crimes as a result of Armenia’s military aggression, including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparation and waging of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism and its financing, the violent seizure and retention of power, and other grave offenses.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu in Copenhagen.

During the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev congratulated President Maia Sandu on the victory of the Party of Action and Solidarity in Moldova’s parliamentary elections, noting that the results reflect the will of the Moldovan people.

President Maia Sandu expressed her gratitude for the congratulations and, in turn, congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the achievements in Washington regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agenda, witnessed by the United States.

Expressing gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the progress made in advancing the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan holds historic significance.

The leaders also exchanged views on the prospects of bilateral relations, with particular focus on the broad opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector.

President Maia Sandu highlighted Moldova’s appreciation for Azerbaijan’s support, especially during periods of energy need.

The fraternal ties and strong bonds of friendship that unite Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, coupled with our regular and productive high-level dialogues, serve the common progress of our brotherly peoples, said President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

“In particular, the complete elevation of our interstate relations to a new historic stage of alliance in recent years can be regarded as a brilliant practical expression of our firm political will and joint consistent efforts.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I am confident that our strategic partnership, grounded in principles of mutual trust and respect, will continue to develop rapidly across all priority areas, including politics, economy, trade, transport, logistics, energy, industry, agriculture, tourism, and culture.

Undoubtedly, our upcoming series of important meetings this year-both in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan-will provide favorable opportunities not only to discuss the prospects of our bilateral relations but also for an in-depth exchange of views on the most pressing issues of regional partnership,” the letter reads.

n October 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting in Copenhagen with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, participated in the opening ceremony of the event titled ‘Accelerating Renewable Energy in Central Asia’ held during Kazakhstan Energy Week, organized by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He also took part in the Ministerial Roundtable on the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Central Asia (APRECA), Azernews reports.

In his speech, Shahbazov noted that the APRECA initiative, first launched in Azerbaijan during COP29, promotes deeper cooperation between Central Asia and neighboring regions in the field of renewable energy and critical raw materials. He highlighted the Central Asia-Azerbaijan Green Energy Corridor as a key project contributing to this effort. Azerbaijan is aiming to increase the share of renewables in its energy mix to 40% by 2030 while strengthening regional partnerships and implementing strategic energy infrastructure. He emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev’s policy of integrating Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Caspian region into a single geopolitical space prioritizes renewable energy collaboration. The Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor, set to interconnect national electricity systems for the first time, fully supports this vision and opens new opportunities to develop the Middle Corridor as a green energy route linking Asia and Europe via the Caspian Sea.

Shahbazov also announced that with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), work on the project’s feasibility study will begin shortly. He provided updates on related initiatives, including the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe corridor, as well as the Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Europe and Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkiye-Bulgaria green energy routes. These integrated corridors aim to direct the region’s renewable energy to Turkish and European markets, improve energy flow between continents, and enhance energy security. The interconnectors, equipped with fiber-optic components, will also support digital and transport connectivity, further raising the geostrategic importance of the Middle Corridor.

At the Ministerial Roundtable, participants discussed accelerating renewable energy development through modernizing power grids, building energy storage systems, securing investments and supply chains, and developing cross-border infrastructure. Azerbaijan’s projects and future plans were presented, and cooperation opportunities through the APRECA platform were explored.

On October 2, the opening plenary session of the 7th Summit of the European Political Community is underway in Copenhagen, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is attending the event.

A violation of the state border from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Azerbaijan was prevented in the service area of the ‘Horadiz’ border detachment of the State Border Service, Azernews reports.

As a result of joint border search and operational measures conducted by the State Border Service and the State Customs Committee, a total of 15 kilograms 200 grams of marijuana and 1,490 methadone M-40 pills containing narcotics were discovered and seized. The contraband was being smuggled across the border with the intent of illegal circulation inside Azerbaijan.

The State Border Service emphasized that such operations demonstrate the country’s determination to combat drug trafficking, which poses a threat to both national security and public health. It was also underlined that the Azerbaijani side continues to strengthen cooperation between border and customs authorities to ensure effective control over the state border, particularly in areas vulnerable to smuggling attempts.

Eight sports competitions are scheduled for October 2 as part of the third CIS Games in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The events will include chovqan (Kyrgyzstan-Kuwait, Kazakhstan-Turkiye) in Shaki, trampoline gymnastics (first medalists will be determined), and badminton (Russia-Uzbekistan mixed teams final) in Gabala.

In Ganja, the Azerbaijani men’s volleyball team will face Uzbekistan at 18:30.

Moreover, fencing and swimming competitions will take place in the city.

In Yevlakh, boxing events will be held, while archery competitions will take place in Khankandi.

Azerbaijan is hosting the third Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games from September 28 to October 8, 2025, marking a significant event in the region’s sports calendar.

This multi-sport competition brings together athletes from CIS member states and invited countries, aiming to promote friendship, cooperation, and athletic excellence.

For the first time in the history of the CIS Games, competitions are being held across seven cities in Azerbaijan: Ganja, Mingachevir, Gabala, Shaki, Goygol, Yevlakh, and Khankandi.

Each city hosts events in different sports, with the second-largest city, Ganja, serving as the main hub and officially designated the CIS Sports Capital for 2025.

Around 23 sports are being contested across 12 venues, highlighting a broad and inclusive athletic program.

A total of 1,624 athletes from 13 countries had confirmed participation. Event mascots Babir and Leyla are helping to generate enthusiasm among young fans.