Baku is ready to normalize relations with Armenia on the basis of territorial integrity, respect for the principles of international law, and the principle of inviolability of borders. The statement came from Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov during Thursday’s meeting—in the Belarusian capital Minsk—of the foreign ministers of the CIS member countries, Azerbaijani media report.

Bayramov added that Azerbaijan is committed to fulfilling the obligations arising from the trilateral statements, including agreements on the opening of all communications in the region, expressing confidence that the opening of these communications will benefit all countries in the region, and strengthen the role of the South Caucasus in international transport projects.

He stressed that the Azerbaijani side attaches great importance to the efforts of the peacekeepers in the region, including the activities of the joint Russian-Turkish monitoring center.

Bayramov, however, did not inform the participants of the aforesaid meeting about Azerbaijan’s destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage.

According to him, "the [Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)] conflict is a thing of the past, and now the main goal is to restore the liberated territories and ensure the return of the former internally displaced persons."