25 November 2025 19:49

On 25 November 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, within the framework of his official visit to the Vatican, met with the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

During the meeting, the current state and prospects of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Holy See, as well as regional and international issues, and opportunities for cooperation within international platforms were discussed.

It was noted that it is important to maintain the increasing dynamics of high-level visits in recent times in order to further deepen cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See. In this context, the importance of the official visits of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Vatican, the visit of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva to the Holy See in October of this year, and the meetings and events held within the framework of the visit were emphasized.

Humanitarian conservation and restoration projects implemented to date and planned for the future in the Holy See at the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva and with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation were recalled with satisfaction. The visit of Mehriban Aliyeva to the Vatican and her visit to “Bambino Gesù”, the largest pediatric hospital and research center in Europe, as well as the importance of cooperation with our country in this field, were noted.

In addition, the visits of Pope John Paul II to our country in 2002 and Pope Francis in 2016 were recalled with satisfaction, as well as the consecration ceremony of the site where the Catholic church to be built in honor of John Paul II in Baku will be located, and the ongoing construction of the church.

Confidence was expressed that the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, to be marked in 2027, will give an additional impetus to the development of relations.

Azerbaijan’s achievements in the field of religious tolerance, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, as well as the work carried out in the restoration and protection of religious monuments, including Christian places of worship in our country, were highlighted.

It was noted that Azerbaijan’s successful policy as a country where different religions and cultures coexist contributes to international peace and understanding.

At the same time, concern over global climate change was expressed, and information was provided to the other side on the activities and initiatives of our country as COP29 President. Views were also exchanged on our country’s contribution to energy security, its role in the development of transport corridors, and relations with Central Asian countries.

During the meeting, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also informed the other side in detail about the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, the agreements reached during the historic Washington Summit and the practical steps taken for their implementation, as well as post-conflict developments in our region.

An exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest was also included in the meeting.