«There is no third»: Ilhom Aliyev names only two truly powerful states in the world

Azerbaijani President Ilhom Aliyev made a resonant statement regarding the distribution of global geopolitical forces and Baku's foreign policy vector. Speaking at the VIII Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party, the head of state firmly emphasized that in today's world there are only two giant states with truly decisive influence.

«They are the two most powerful states in the world, there is no third», — Ilhom Aliyev noted, describing the current reality in the international system.

Simultaneous alliance with Washington and Beijing: A unique formula of Baku's diplomacy

The head of state noted that Azerbaijan is one of the few countries that maintains a balanced and strong strategic partnership with these two global competitors simultaneously:

• Relations with China: An official Declaration on Strategic Partnership is in effect between Baku and Beijing;

• Relations with the USA: A charter on strategic cooperation has been signed with Washington, and long-term ties are consistently continuing.

The president stressed that this complex geopolitical balance is not just pragmatism, but the result of the international community's high trust in Azerbaijan.

«Our word is as valuable as our signature: We do not engage in hypocrisy»

In his speech, Ilhom Aliyev particularly emphasized that Baku acts in international relations based on strict principles and moral responsibility:

«What does this mean? This is trust in us, respect for our word. Today, there is no one in the world who does not know that our spoken word is as valuable and weighty as our official signature. Whatever we say, we firmly stand by our word.

We have never played a double game and have never shown hypocrisy or duplicity toward any state. Meanwhile, in foreign policy, we ourselves have faced such attitudes very many times and are facing them today. However, we will never stoop to their level. We are a nation that respects itself, lives with dignity, and conducts our state policy strictly with honor».

These bold statements by the Azerbaijani leader have sparked great interest in the South Caucasus and global diplomacy circles, being perceived as a unique example of pursuing a sovereign and open policy in a complex geopolitical era.