New york: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres late Saturday welcomed the "joint declaration" to reach peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, deeming it as an "important milestone" in normalizing relations. According to Kuwait News Agency, the Secretary General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, "The Secretary-General welcomes the comprehensive 'Joint Declaration' signed on Friday by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia together with President Donald J. Trump of the United States as an important milestone in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan." He added that Guterres commended "the commitment of President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan to sustained dialogue and confidence-building, and recognizes the efforts of President Trump in facilitating progress." "The Secretary-General reaffirms the strong support of the United Nations for all efforts to advance lasting peace in the South Caucasus," he concluded. Last Friday, Azerbaijan an d Armenia signed a historic deal under US sponsorship, ending the 30-year conflict between the two nations.
