We are here on a goodwill mission because Azerbaijan is an active member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), fostering close cooperation with CIS member states across economic, humanitarian, and other domains. We still consider that the CIS countries are being close to each other both spiritually and historically,” CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev told journalists.

He emphasized Azerbaijan's enduring strategic partnership with the Russian Federation, highlighting shared interests in peace and stability across the CIS region.

Lebedev praised the active involvement of Azerbaijani parliamentarians in the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly. He noted that the CIS observation mission has been monitoring the presidential election process in Azerbaijan since January 17.

“I would like to mention that the election process is well-organized with a high turnout, which is very important. The candidates are vying for presidency on the equal terms and we are thoroughly reaffirming that. Moreover, the media outlets and the television have widely covered the election campaign, which is a very positive factor,” he said.

“We are hoping that not only the CIS, but also the foreign observers will evaluate the Azerbaijani election objectively,” he added.