Azerbaijan considering full withdrawal from Council of Europe, Aliyev says

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has stated that the country is considering a full withdrawal from the Council of Europe. This consideration follows the Parliamentary Assembly's decision in 2024 to strip Baku's delegation of its voting rights, a move Aliyev described as unjust. He indicated that Azerbaijan would only reconsider its membership if these voting rights were restored.

Aliyev made these remarks at the Shusha Global Media Forum, where he also discussed Azerbaijan's role in European energy markets. He announced that Azerbaijan has begun supplying natural gas to Germany and Austria as part of a strategy to expand its presence in the European gas market, currently supplying 16 countries, 14 of which are in Europe. Aliyev emphasized the need for long-term contracts to incentivize significant investment in production capacity, expressing concern about future demand uncertainty.

During the forum, which focused on the media's role in promoting peace and restoring trust, Aliyev also touched upon the conflict in the Middle East, expressing hope for a swift resolution and advocating for peace based on international law. Other speakers at the forum, including Sohail Mahmood of the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Zaid AlNawaiseh of Jordan’s Ministry of Government Communication, and Leon Cook of Atticus Partners, discussed the challenges of disinformation and the importance of responsible journalism.