Azerbaijan News 15 October 2026 12:57 (UTC +04:00)
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 15. In his speech at the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), President Ilham Aliyev spoke about Armenia’s policy of occupation.
The head of state said: “For 30 years, approximately 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory was occupied by Armenia. Armenia committed military aggression against Azerbaijan, expelling 1 million Azerbaijanis from their ancestral historical lands—both in Garabagh and East Zangezur, as well as in the territory of present-day Armenia—and carrying out ethnic cleansing. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the immediate, full, and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories, yet they remained on paper for 30 years. The activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1992 to resolve the conflict, were purely imitative in nature.”
The 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is taking place in Baku under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.
The summit will review the progress made in the CICA transformation process, which began in 2022, as well as the results of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship in strengthening the organization and promoting practical cooperation among member states.
The summit is attended by heads of state and government, as well as delegations from CICA member states, observer states, observer organizations, and partner entities.
The summit presents an important opportunity to discuss issues of dialogue and confidence-building among member states in a complex international environment characterized by intensifying interstate tensions, escalating conflicts, and the emergence of new hotspots of tension, including in Asia.
One of the summit’s most significant outcomes is considered to be the admission of Laos into the CICA as a new member. The event will also be marked by the adoption of documents aimed at intensifying activities within the CICA and improving cooperation in specific areas.
The Baku Declaration is expected to be the summit’s main political document. In it, Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the CICA will receive the approval of all member states, and the initiatives put forward and activities carried out over the past two years in various areas will be welcomed. The document will also contain specific provisions regarding the strengthening of the international order and ways to counter risks in the military-political, economic, environmental, and other spheres.
The Baku Declaration will place special emphasis on promoting tolerance and intercultural dialogue, advancing the use of science, education, and innovation in the interests of security and well-being, as well as the opportunities and risks associated with the development of artificial intelligence.
In addition to the Baku Declaration, the summit also plans to adopt a separate statement on occupational safety and health.