BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14. The Azerbaijani government and people should be congratulated for the return of the occupied territories, David Merkel, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State, told reporters, Trend reports.
Speaking to journalists at the XII Global Baku Forum, Merkel mentioned that although the international community was unable to resolve this through peaceful means, it has now been accomplished:
"Currently, Azerbaijan is reconstructing its liberated territories. Therefore, I believe this is something that both the country and the entire region can celebrate.
It is clear that the issue in Karabakh was resolved on the battlefield. Thus, what has happened in Karabakh is very important, and I believe the reconstruction efforts there will provide many lessons. Hopefully, in other conflicts, the international community will show greater leadership and not leave the resolution of such issues to the countries and their leadership. I think this also opens up broader integration opportunities for the normalization of relations in the South Caucasus," he said.
Merkel also expressed his pleasure at being part of the Global Baku Forum.
"I have attended several editions of this forum. It is a very important meeting in the region, and President Ilham Aliyev deserves congratulations for bringing world leaders together for this conference. This forum provides an opportunity for people with different perspectives to engage in meaningful discussions. Talking about important issues requires significant leadership experience."
Merkel also noted that establishing stability in Ukraine, a major European country is among the key issues on the agenda:
"Both the situation in Ukraine and Gaza should be resolved through negotiations. Achieving lasting peace in Gaza is also crucial. Hopefully, the international community will take a more active role in addressing other potential conflicts worldwide, preventing them from escalating into military confrontations," he concluded.
The XII Global Baku Forum is scheduled to take place from March 13 through 15, 2025.
The forum is organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and will be held under the theme "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities".
Discussions will focus on key global issues, including geopolitical shifts, multilateralism, the global health crisis, recovery and regional stability, COP29, and more.
The forum is expected to bring together over 300 world leaders from more than 60 countries, including more than 25 former presidents, over 15 former prime ministers, around 10 UN and international agency heads, and over 25 former ministers and deputy ministers.
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