Category: Azer News

On October 1, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the opening ceremony of a new park established in Baku’s Narimanov district, Azernews reports.

Eldar Azizov, Head of the Baku City Executive Authority, informed the head of state and the First Lady about the park.

The new recreational area is located at the intersection of Ahmad bey Aghaoglu, Tabriz, and Talat Shixaliyev streets, near the Italy-Azerbaijan University. Covering an area of 3.5 hectares, the park features gazebos, an amphitheater, a tennis court, entertainment zones for children, and a modern lighting system. All necessary facilities have been created for both quiet relaxation and sports activities.

Azerbaijan has expressed gratitude to Great Britain for its consistent support in the ongoing normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to London Elin Suleymanov shared this on her social media account following her meeting with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and the UK’s Minister of State for Europe, North America, and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty during a conference in Liverpool.

The 11th conference of think tanks from the Turkic States Organization (OTS) in Baku reflects more than routine diplomatic engagement; it underscores the growing strategic coherence of the Turkic World amid a period of global uncertainty. As multilateral institutions face mounting pressures and geopolitical competition intensifies across Central Eurasia, the OTS is positioning itself as a unique regional actor capable of leveraging shared culture, history, and economic interests to enhance stability and cooperation.

The conference highlighted how shared history, culture, and values create unique advantages for cooperation among Turkic states, while also addressing pressing issues such as geopolitical competition, the erosion of multilateral mechanisms, and transnational threats like cyberattacks and climate change. Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening unity, fostering economic and security collaboration, and exploring the potential for the OTS to act as a stabilizing force in the region and beyond.

Azernews spoke with Professor Vasa László, Senior Research Fellow at the Hungarian Institute for International Relations and Trade, to explore the significance of these forums, the potential of the OTS as a regional actor, and the implications for both member and observer states in navigating today’s global disorder.

– What does holding the 11th conference of OTS think tanks in Baku signal about Azerbaijan’s role within the Organization?

These OTS think-tank forums are always organized as a side event of the Sumit of OTS head of states. It was in Baku now, as the OTS Summit is organized by Azerbaijan. Sure, these events allow to focus on topics which are important for the host country. This time we were discussing how the OTS can act as regional actor during the global uncertainties. Connected to this, we also investigated the future ways of the integration of Turkic states.

– In the current era of global disorder, what unique advantages does the Turkic World have compared to other regional groupings?

The OTS countries share not only common economic and security interests but also a common culture, history, and experiences from the past. So these make it to a kind of family, instead of just a group of different countries with same actual interests. The like minded OTS countries recognized that among the uncertainties, they have to act united, as they will be stronger together.

– With global institutions under pressure and multilateralism fragmenting, can the OTS position itself as an alternative or complementary mechanism for regional stability?

Indeed, OTS countries play a crucial role in Central Eurasia’s stability. For instance, no other groupings can negotiate with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. OTS countries are also harmonizing their activities in the field of defense and security, moreover, in the related industries. The Middle Corridor affects all Turkic countries and this fact itself pushes the whole region towards stability.

– What role can observer states (such as Hungary and others) play in broadening the OTS’s influence beyond the Turkic geography?

Hungary as observer is as active within the OTS as the member countries, initiating new projects, e.g. the drought research institute, contributing equally to the Turkic Investment Fund and in Budapest is the only foreign diplomatic representation of the OTS, where the costs are covered by the Hungarian government. Hungary as an EU member, can be an excellent base for Turkic companies and organizations for their expansion and operations in Europe.

– How might competition among global powers in Central Asia and the South Caucasus affect the unity and strategic autonomy of the Turkic States?

Deepening the integration of the OTS is the best way to maintain and keep the sovereignty. The big players are more and more interested for the Turkic stats, due to their resources and the fact that the Middle Corridor goes through these countries. But with proper governance and harmonized foreign policies, these influence attempts can be handled.

Azerbaijan Chess Federation has organized a master class for national chess players, Azernews reports.

Chess players between the ages of 14, 16, and 18, who will participate in the World Chess Championship, had a session with Rauf Mammadyarov, a three-time European champion and member of the national team.

Discussing preparation for prestigious tournaments, Rauf Mammadyarov analyzed various games and answered questions from the chess players.

Azerbaijani men’s chess team will participate in the European Team Championship. Rauf Mammadyarov is included in the national team roster.

The European Team Chess Championship will take place in Batumi, Georgia, from October 4 to 15.

The event features separate Open and Women’s sections, with each competition consisting of 9 rounds played under a Swiss system.

The 2025 European Team Chess Championship will showcase 75 teams, including 39 in the Open tournament and 36 in the Women’s Championship.

Chess, for centuries, has been a popular game in Azerbaijan with ancient roots closely related to traditions. The country could preserve these traditions as chess remains a crucially popular sport for now.

To popularise this original game, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who is also the chairman of the National Olympic Committee, signed in 2009 an executive order initiating a state-supported chess development program, covering the years 2009-2014.

The 42nd Chess Olympiad, held in Baku, is indeed an excellent example of great attention paid to the development of chess games in the country.

The large-scale event attracted a total of 1,587 participants, including 894 in the Open category and 693 in the Women’s event, making the Baku Chess Olympiad a significant event.

Similarly, the FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 in Baku captivated chess fans with its high-calibre competition and exhilarating matches.

Featuring a highly competitive lineup, the World Cup provided an exciting venue to display the remarkable skill and strategic finesse of elite chess players.

Approximately 206 competitors participated in the open section, along with 103 players in the women’s competition.

The national chess players have always been taking high places at top-ranked tournaments.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has extended congratulations to China on the occasion of its National Day, Azernews reports.

The post was shared on the ministry’s official social media account, stating:

The Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, has departed for a working visit to Cape Town, South Africa, on September 30, Azernews reports.

The delegation was welcomed at Cape Town International Airport by the Chairman of the Public Oversight Committee of the Parliament of South Africa, Cedric Thomas Frolik, the Chargé d’Affaires of Azerbaijan in South Africa, Huseyn Rahimli, and other officials.

During the visit, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova will take part in the 11th Summit of the Speakers of Parliaments of the “Big Twenty” (P20). She is scheduled to deliver a speech at the summit and hold bilateral meetings with the heads of participating parliamentary delegations.

Former commander of the Armenian occupying forces in Garabagh, Jalal Harutyunyan, will finally serve his prison sentence, Azernews reports citing Armenian media.

According to the information, Armenia’s Court of Cassation has refused to review the lawyers’ appeal and upheld the decision of the Court of Appeals. As a result, the previously issued sentence of 5.5 years in prison for the general has officially come into force.

Harutyunyan had earlier been found guilty of negligence under martial law in a high-profile criminal case initiated in 2022, connected to certain episodes of the 44-day war. The case drew significant public attention as it exposed shortcomings in Armenia’s military leadership during the conflict.

In August 2025, lawyers representing the heirs of Armenian soldiers who died due to Harutyunyan’s negligence claimed that the general had been attempting to evade punishment, deliberately avoiding court documents and skipping hearings to delay the process.

With the latest court ruling, his attempts to escape accountability have come to an end.

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest automaker, announced on Wednesday that its sales rose by 8.3% in September compared to the same month last year, driven primarily by strong demand for high-end and sport utility vehicle (SUV) models, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap agency.

The company sold 372,298 vehicles in September, up from 336,140 units in September 2024, according to an official statement.

Domestic sales surged 18.3% to 66,001 units, compared to 55,805 a year earlier, while overseas sales increased 6.4% to 306,297 units from 287,872.

The top-selling model in the domestic market was the Avante sedan with 7,657 units sold, followed by the Santa Fe SUV with 5,763 units, and the Grandeur sedan at 5,398 units.

From January to September, Hyundai’s total sales increased by 1.1%, reaching 3,110,909 vehicles, up from 3,075,720 in the same period last year.

‘Strong sales of our flagship models have continued to drive year-on-year global growth,’ said a Hyundai Motor spokesperson. ‘We will continue to expand our market share steadily by launching new vehicles with exceptional product appeal.’

Hyundai has been aggressively investing in electric and hybrid SUVs, positioning itself as a major player in the growing eco-friendly vehicle market, which is expected to be a key driver of future growth worldwide.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday to denounce the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment from 1987, after submitting a bill to withdraw Russia from the treaty three weeks ago, Azernews reports.

The denunciation follows the Council of Europe’s decision to withdraw Russia’s membership in March 2022 as a consequence of Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine.

Russia’s State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin previously condemned the decision and claimed that Moscow’s requests for representation were being ignored, despite the European Convention’s principle of cooperation.

SOCAR Green plans to allocate more than 500 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity under a 240 MW innovative renewable energy project aimed at decarbonizing the Sangachal oil and gas terminal.

Azernews reports that this was announced by Elchin Tarquliyev, solar and wind energy expert at SOCAR Green, during his speech at Baku Climate Action Week 2025.

Tarquliyev explained that the company will feed electricity into the national grid and then draw it from another part of the country specifically to support carbon reduction at the Sangachal terminal. ‘This is a 240 MW project, and over 500 million kWh of electricity will be allocated for the terminal’s decarbonization efforts,’ he noted.

He also highlighted SOCAR Green’s focus on developing small- and medium-scale renewable energy projects, primarily targeting the business sector, including SOCAR itself. These projects are designed to help companies reduce both emissions and electricity costs, with power sold slightly below national tariffs. While the company’s primary focus remains on solar and wind energy, it is also actively exploring the potential of geothermal and biogas resources, which are currently in the assessment phase.