AZERBAIJAN, February 8 - President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev.

Sergey Lebedev extended his congratulations to President Ilham Aliyev on his resounding victory in the presidential elections.

The head of state expressed gratitude to Sergey Lebedev and all members of the CIS observation mission for monitoring these elections, emphasizing the active participation of the CIS observation mission not only in these but also in the past elections in Azerbaijan.

Sergey Lebedev noted that observing the electoral process in Azerbaijan is both a great honor and a responsibility for them. He underscored that this was a historic day and a historic election for the people of Azerbaijan. Sergey Lebedev highlighted that Azerbaijan has entered a new stage of development and that ample opportunities for long-term and sustainable peace in the region have been created. He said that he had extensive conversations with ordinary people, voters, and observers during this election process, adding that the people of Azerbaijan exercised their right to vote in this election with special respect.

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States stated that this was the first time the people of Azerbaijan had participated in the electoral process following the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and emphasized the restoration and construction work carried out in the liberated territories, the return of former internally displaced persons to their homes, and the exercise of voting rights in those areas.

Sergey Lebedev stated that the CIS observation mission had been represented in the election process with close to 170 observers. He noted that each election must be conducted in accordance with the legislation of the countries, in particular, the electoral code, and reported that this election had been also held in Azerbaijan in an open, democratic manner under the relevant laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Secretary-General announced that they would hold a press conference today and present their reports on the activities of the election observation mission to the general public.

Noting that the elections were held for the first time in the entire territory of the country, including in Khankendi, Shusha, and other districts after the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the head of state underscored the special historical significance it holds for the Azerbaijani people.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that a portion of the former internally displaced persons (IDPs) had already returned to the liberated territories, with projects for their return being implemented under the Great Return Program. The head of state stated that the first phase would be completed by 2026, with subsequent phases ensuring the return of more IDPs.

The discussions also addressed cooperation between Azerbaijan and respective CIS structures. They shared their views on Azerbaijan’s contribution to relations and discussions within the CIS as well as cooperation projects among CIS countries in political, cultural, economic, and other fields.