POLITICS
DEPUTY SPEAKER OF AZERBAIJAN PARLIAMENT: “CASPIAN SHOULD BE A SEA OF PEACE”
Deputy chairman of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, head of the standing commission on security and defense affairs Ziyafat Askarov told AzerTAj correspondent: “The US-Azerbaijan relations should not cause concern in any state, because these countries are strategic allies. The words told by Mr. Donald Ramsfeld and US Congress armed forces Commission’s under chairman Kurt Weldon “… we want Azerbaijan to be our major ally in the region”, is a proof to that.
Today, there are good relations between the parliaments of both countries. We have signed a Memo on inter-parliamentary ties during the visit of Mr. Kurt Weldon to Baku. According to the reached agreement, Azerbaijan Parliamentarians will visit the United States. Of course, the signed document will promote development of cooperation in numerous fields, including military sphere.
During his visit to Baku, Mr. Ramsfeld stated on the US intention to assist Azerbaijan in strengthening of marine borders of Azerbaijan in the Caspian, combat against terrorism, ensuring security of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
True, some states made ambitious statements on non-definition of the borders in the Caspian. And they should not forget that, according of the international legal norms, borders of the Caspian has already been defined. As to the issue of militarization of the Caspian, Azerbaijan has no such an intention. We are against militarization of the Caspian, and it should be a sea of peace. And saying, “strengthening of borders in the Caspian” does not mean militarization of it”. It is completely misrepresentation. We strengthen our territories and borders, and we exercise our right”.