Category: Azer News

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a telephone conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump on August 8.

During the phone conversation, both leaders expressed satisfaction on the occasion of the anniversary of the Washington Summit. They emphasized that the Joint Declaration signed during the Washington Peace Summit in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the initialing of the agreement on the establishment of interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, had brought an end to the conflict in the region and consolidated peace.

The head of state thanked Donald Trump for hosting the Washington Peace Summit and for his contribution to the peace agenda.

Donald Trump highly appreciated the role of President Ilham Aliyev in the peace process.

The sides expressed satisfaction that peace and stability had been maintained in the region over the past year and that there had been no incidents that could undermine peace in the region.

The Presidents noted the export of Azerbaijani oil products to Armenia, the transit of cargo through Azerbaijan to Armenia, and the launch of trade relations between the two countries as positive developments.

During the phone conversation, the importance of the TRIPP project in terms of regional connectivity was emphasized, and it was noted that work on transport infrastructure in Azerbaijan was nearing completion.

They expressed hope that the TRIPP project in Armenia would break ground soon.

The heads of state also discussed issues related to the bilateral agenda.

The signing of the document on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States was described as a historic event. They emphasized that Azerbaijan-U.S. relations had reached a qualitatively new and higher level and acquired a strategic character, contributing to peace and stability across the broader region.

The head of state thanked the U.S. President for the invitation to the G20, describing it as a manifestation of the friendly attitude toward Azerbaijan.

During the phone conversation, the two leaders expressed confidence that the Azerbaijan-U.S. strategic partnership would continue to develop successfully.

Japanese authorities have reportedly called on the U.S. government to stop using characters from some of Japan’s most famous entertainment franchises in political memes, arguing that such content may violate intellectual property rights and harm the image of beloved characters, AzerNEWS reports.

According to reports, Japanese officials have contacted the administration of President Donald Trump through the U.S. Embassy on two separate occasions, requesting that government-affiliated social media accounts refrain from using copyrighted Japanese characters in AI-generated and edited images.

The concern involves globally recognized franchises such as Naruto, Super Mario, and Pokémon. Japanese officials believe these characters should not be used in political messaging or internet memes without the permission of the rights holders, as doing so could damage their reputation and create misleading associations.

Over the past year, several social media posts linked to the Trump administration have featured AI-generated images portraying the U.S. president as iconic characters from Japanese anime and video games. While many of these posts were intended as humorous or promotional content, they have sparked criticism in Japan over the unauthorized use of copyrighted material.

Earlier, Kimi Onoda, Japan’s Minister of State for Economic Security, publicly criticized one such post that incorporated imagery inspired by the anime Naruto, calling attention to the importance of respecting creators’ intellectual property.

The dispute reflects a broader global debate over the use of copyrighted characters in AI-generated content. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of producing realistic images and videos, governments and copyright holders are facing new challenges in protecting creative works from unauthorized use.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter to President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

The letter was published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

“Dear Mr. President,

Today marks the first anniversary of the historic Washington Summit, hosted by the United States on 8 August 2025, which laid the foundation for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

One year ago, by assuming this historic responsibility, you brought about a turning point in the pursuit of lasting peace in the South Caucasus and the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Through your determination and steadfast resolve, you succeeded in bringing to an end a conflict that had endured for three decades, laying the foundation for an era of reconciliation and mutually beneficial partnership between our peoples.

The Trilateral Joint Declaration signed at the White House in your presence, the Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations initialed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the joint appeal regarding the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group have played a decisive role in securing lasting peace and stability in the region, opening a promising new chapter of peace, sustainable development, and mutually beneficial cooperation. At the same time, one of the most significant outcomes of your peacebuilding efforts-the TRIPP project-holds tremendous potential for advancing multilateral economic cooperation, enhancing regional transport connectivity, and ensuring peace and security in the South Caucasus. I once again express my profound gratitude for your strong leadership in advancing the peace agenda in our region.

Today, Azerbaijani society is embracing the new reality and the peaceful environment that have emerged in the region. Over the past year, important steps have been undertaken to advance relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Restrictions on the transportation of cargo from Azerbaijan to Armenia have been lifted, while Azerbaijani petroleum products, together with grain and other goods from third countries, are now being transported in transit through the territory of Azerbaijan for export to Armenia. We are already witnessing the tangible dividends of peace in the economic, trade, and other spheres. We continue our efforts to consolidate these gains, translate peace into practical cooperation, and foster an atmosphere of mutual trust.

Dear Mr. President,

The meeting held in Washington last August also marked a historic milestone in Azerbaijan-United States bilateral relations. It was as a result of that meeting that our interstate relations entered a qualitatively new stage of strategic partnership. Six months later, the visit of Vice President JD Vance to Azerbaijan and the signing of the Strategic Partnership Charter during that visit, covering such areas as mutual investment, trade, energy, connectivity, transportation, artificial intelligence, and security, together with the high-level and senior-level contacts and agreements reached over the past year, stand as a testament to the remarkable progress achieved in such a short period of time and to the importance you attach to the further development of Azerbaijan-United States relations.

At the same time, we regard your decision to extend the waiver of the discriminatory Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act as an important step toward the restoration of historical justice.

We can proudly state that Azerbaijan-United States ties have now reached their highest point in the 34-year history of our diplomatic relations. On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I once again express my sincere gratitude to you for this historic achievement, as well as for your invaluable contribution to establishing and further strengthening our strategic partnership.

We remain determined to further expand and enrich with new substance the friendship, strategic partnership, and relations based on mutual trust, respect, and support between Azerbaijan and the United States. We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with you in this direction.

As I offer you the assurances of my highest consideration, I wish you robust health, happiness, and continued success in discharging the honorable duties of the highest office for the peace, prosperity, and well-being of the friendly people of the United States.

Azerbaijan has held its annual meeting of military attachés and military representatives serving at the country’s embassies abroad, in line with the activity plan approved for the current year, AzerNEWS reports.

The meeting brought together military diplomats representing Azerbaijan in foreign countries, according to information published by the Ministry of Defense.

Opening the event, Major General Elchin Abdullayev, head of the Ministry of Defense’s International Military Cooperation Department, provided an overview of the development of military diplomacy, efforts to expand international military cooperation and key priorities facing the country’s military representatives.

During the meeting, military attachés and representatives presented reports on their activities during the past period, the current state of bilateral military cooperation with their respective countries, and prospective areas of cooperation.

The participants also discussed prospects for expanding international military cooperation and were given relevant instructions regarding the key tasks facing military diplomats.

As part of the event, representatives of the Ministry of Defense’s main departments and directorates, as well as relevant government agencies, delivered presentations on a range of current issues.

The military attachés and representatives subsequently visited the ‘Iqlim’ Scientific-Production Enterprise of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense Industry, where they were briefed on the facility’s production capabilities and latest developments.

The event concluded with a visit to Victory Park, where participants took a commemorative group photograph.

The Louvre Museum has opened a temporary exhibition titled ‘Affinités: The Wonders of Islamic Art Through Decorative Arts’ to showcase selected works from its Islamic art collection while the museum’s Islamic Art Department undergoes renovation, AzerNEWS reports.

Running through December 31, the exhibition features around 50 works from the department’s collection. In addition to compensating for the temporary closure of the department during renovation, the exhibition gives visitors an opportunity to discover some of the collection’s most significant pieces.

Curators Philippe Malgouyres and Annabelle Collin said the project aims to explore the historical, technical and aesthetic connections between the Islamic Art and Decorative Arts departments.

Featuring works dating from the 9th to the 17th centuries, the exhibition highlights artistic and cultural exchanges between the Islamic world and Europe.

The exhibition is organized around three main themes: light, color and sculpture. According to the Louvre, the works reflect important technical and aesthetic innovations developed in the Islamic world, as well as the strong interest they generated in Europe and in French collections.

According to the curators, the title ‘Affinités,’ meaning ‘affinities’ or ‘connections,’ refers to the historical ties between Islamic countries and Europe, encompassing both geographical proximity and cultural and artistic affinities.

A new shipment from Russia to Armenia will transit through Azerbaijan, according to Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), AzerNEWS reports.

A total of 15 railcars carrying 1,049 tonnes of wheat and 10 railcars carrying 700 tonnes of coal will depart from Bilajari station in Baku and head toward Boyuk Kesik on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border.

The latest shipment adds to a growing volume of cargo transported from Russia to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory.

To date, more than 37,000 tonnes of grain, nearly 9,000 tonnes of fertilizer, 1,136 tonnes of propane, 133 tonnes of aluminum, 414 tonnes of anthracite, and 67,000 tonnes of timber have been transported from Russia to Armenia in transit through Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has also exported significant volumes of fuel directly to Armenia. So far, nearly 15,000 tonnes of diesel fuel and around 5,000 tonnes of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline have been exported from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

The shipments mark the continued use of Azerbaijan’s railway infrastructure as a transit route for trade between Russia and Armenia, reflecting the gradual expansion of regional transport links.

On August 8, 2026, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

During the phone conversation, the sides exchanged views on the occasion of the first anniversary of the August 8, 2025 Washington Peace Summit held with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, which established peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the initialling of the text of the Peace Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.

The sides particularly noted the important role played by President Donald Trump and the Government of the United States of America in advancing the peace process.

The sides noted the progress achieved over the past year in the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The conversation highlighted the development of trade and economic ties between the two countries as a tangible manifestation of the benefits of peace. In this context, the sides noted the export of Azerbaijani petroleum products to Armenia, as well as the transportation of transit cargo through the territory of Azerbaijan to Armenia and from Armenia to other destinations.

In addition, the sides exchanged views on the implementation of the TRIPP route in line with the understandings reached in Washington.

The sides emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to advance the peace process and ensure lasting peace, stability, connectivity, and economic cooperation in the region.

International rating agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded its assessment of the operating environment for Azerbaijani banks to ‘bb’ from the previous ‘bb-‘, while maintaining a ‘stable’ outlook, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Fitch, the revision reflects strengthened regulatory oversight and further progress in implementing a risk-based banking supervision framework. The agency said these developments should improve the banking sector’s resilience to cyclical pressures.

Fitch analysts also took into account Azerbaijan’s stable credit profile and continued government support for macroeconomic stability when revising the assessment.

‘The revision narrows the gap between the assessment of the banking sector’s operating environment and Azerbaijan’s sovereign rating of ‘BBB-/Stable’,’ Fitch said.

Despite cyclical fluctuations inherent in Azerbaijan’s economy, Fitch expects the financial profile of the country’s banking sector to remain resilient in 2026-2027.

The upgrade in the operating environment assessment therefore reflects the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s regulatory framework and supervisory mechanisms, as well as the country’s continued macroeconomic stability.

Fitch’s revised assessment signals a more favorable environment for Azerbaijani banks, particularly as stronger supervision and risk-based regulation are expected to enhance the sector’s ability to withstand economic and financial shocks.

Turkiye is ready to implement various projects in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas fields, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking on a Turkish television channel, Bayraktar noted that Turkiye is currently involved in the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) oil and gas fields and is also active in the Shah Deniz gas field.

‘Ankara is also successfully cooperating with Baku in bringing energy resources to global markets,’ Bayraktar said.

As an example, he pointed to an agreement signed on June 1 involving Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR, Turkiye’s state-owned BOTAS, TotalEnergies and Abu Dhabi’s national oil company ADNOC.

Under the agreement, Azerbaijan will supply Turkiye with a total of 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas over 15 years starting in 2029, the minister said.

Bayraktar added that Turkiye’s investments in the energy sector abroad are aimed not only at increasing oil and natural gas production, but also at transferring technical expertise and technologies, making investments, and bringing production capacities to international markets.

‘From Iraq to Somalia, Libya, Oman, Azerbaijan and Hungary, Turkiye has established strong partnerships across a broad geographical area and is becoming an active and influential player in the energy market. Turkiye’s energy strategy is advancing through its strong partnerships abroad,’ Bayraktar said.

The August 8, 2025 Washington summit took Armenia out of a deadlock and opened up a range of opportunities for the country, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

AzerNEWS reports that Pashinyan made the remarks in a message marking the first anniversary of the trilateral summit held in Washington.

At the same time, he stressed that the process of implementing the peace agenda has not yet been completed.

‘Until August 8, 2025, our state was in a deadlock. After August 8, endless prospects opened up before us. Whether we will take advantage of them depends on our collective will,’ the Armenian prime minister said.

According to Pashinyan, one of the key outcomes of the Washington Peace Summit was the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project.

‘This project will not only end Armenia’s blockade in the near future and become a foundation for the economies of Armenia and the region, but will also help Armenia and Azerbaijan begin to see each other not as obstacles, but as a road and as neighbors,’ Pashinyan said.

He added that practical implementation of the TRIPP project would begin soon and described it as an initiative that could become a major regional and international development.

It is worth noting that on August 8, 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, US President Donald Trump and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a Joint Declaration following their trilateral meeting in Washington.

As part of the meeting, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also initialed the draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.

The two foreign ministers also signed a joint appeal to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office concerning the closure of the OSCE Minsk Process, the position of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the Minsk Conference, and the High-Level Planning Group.

The Washington agreements marked a significant diplomatic step toward the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and placed regional connectivity, particularly the TRIPP project, at the center of the emerging post-conflict framework.