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Nazrin Abdul

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Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, delivered remarks at an event held at George Washington University in the United States to commemorate the Day of Remembrance of Azerbaijan’s National Leader, Heydar Aliyev.

As reported by Azernews, according to the Ministry of Energy, the minister emphasized in his speech that Heydar Aliyev played an unparalleled role in the history of Azerbaijan’s statehood. He highlighted that Aliyev’s efforts to build a reliable and stable partnership with the United States laid the foundation for today’s strategic cooperation in energy, security, and economic development.

Shahbazov noted that the 1994 “Contract of the Century,” a product of Heydar Aliyev’s strategic vision, marked the first major achievement in Azerbaijan-U.S. energy cooperation and paved the way for America’s active involvement in bringing Caspian energy resources to global markets.

Quoting the National Leader, the minister recalled: “As far as I remember, it was the United States that first called it the ‘Contract of the Century.’ Without the support of the United States, we would not have been able to sign the first contract in 1994, nor the agreement on the Baku–Ceyhan oil pipeline.”

Shahbazov also highlighted subsequent milestones in the bilateral energy partnership, including the signing of four contracts between the two countries’ oil companies at the White House, and the successful implementation of projects such as the Baku–Supsa and Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipelines, as well as the Southern Gas Corridor—all supported by the United States.

The minister further stated that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev—whom he described as the worthy successor to Heydar Aliyev—and U.S. President Donald Trump, Azerbaijan-U.S. relations continue to strengthen, with energy cooperation entering a new strategic phase.

The event also featured speeches by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Khazar Ibrahim; Rector of ADA University, Hafiz Pashayev; and Member of Parliament Samad Seyidov, who heads the Azerbaijan-U.S. Interparliamentary Working Group. The film “Iz” (“Trace”), produced with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, was screened as part of the program.