Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has issued a statement on the occasion of State Sovereignty Day.

Operativ Media reports that the statement describes September 20 as a date written in golden letters in the centuries-old history of the Azerbaijani people's statehood.

"On September 19-20, 2023, local anti-terror measures were carried out in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region to disarm and withdraw the remnants of the Armenian armed forces from our country's territory. As a result of these measures, which were completed in less than 24 hours, state sovereignty over our territories was secured.

The decisive political will and leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, alongside the high professionalism, courage, and heroism of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, played a decisive role in achieving this historic victory," the statement emphasized.

The statement noted that during the anti-terror measures, the Azerbaijani side paid special attention to the safety of the civilian population, targeting only legitimate military objectives and infrastructure of illegal armed groups rather than civilians and civilian infrastructure. It added that the restoration of state sovereignty has created a new political reality in the region:

"It has opened up new opportunities for the normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations and the establishment of lasting peace. Demonstrating its commitment to the peace agenda, our country has taken consistent and purposeful steps toward normalizing relations.

The historic meeting held in Washington on August 8, 2025, with the participation of the leaders of Azerbaijan, the United States, and Armenia, was an important milestone in the peace and normalization process.

Today, the agreements reached during the meetings of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia are of great importance not only for ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region but also for realizing regional economic potential."

It was noted that restoring economic and trade relations in the region, implementing confidence-building measures, and promoting the regional integration of international transport and logistics routes will create new economic dividends and cooperation opportunities not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia but also for all interested parties. Capitalizing on this historic opportunity for peace, resolving the remaining issues to sign a peace agreement and fully normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is of paramount importance.

"Today, Azerbaijan is carrying out large-scale work to reconstruct the liberated territories, ensure the return of former internally displaced persons to their homelands, and foster the sustainable development of these areas. At the same time, eliminating the landmine threat and determining the fate of missing persons remain among our country's top priorities.

State Sovereignty Day symbolizes the Azerbaijani people's commitment to their statehood, national will, and territorial integrity. This remarkable day is an important occasion to pay deep respect to the memory of our martyrs, and to constantly protect and pass on to future generations the value of the historic Victory achieved at the cost of their lives.

The state sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan is eternal, indivisible, and inviolable.

Happy State Sovereignty Day, Azerbaijan!" the MFA concluded.