POLITICS
Azerbaijani FM interviewed by Italian media outlets
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Rome, January 14 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijan`s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov has been interviewed by several Italian media outlets, including Globalist, TM News, La stampa, Internazionale, AGI, Unita and Newsit24. The Minister responded to a number of questions covering a variety of issues, particularly Azerbaijan`s regional role, the country`s activities in the UN Security Council, the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, and relationship with Italy.
On Azerbaijan`s foreign policy, the FM said the country`s foreign policy and diplomatic activities focus on the long-term targets. Mammadyarov described Azerbaijan`s foreign policy as “a logical continuation of the domestic one”.
Praising Azerbaijan`s development way, especially development trends in the past 10 years as “a remarkable accomplishment”, Mammadyarov said there is a common consensus in the Azerbaijani society regarding the foreign policy, and “this showed itself once again in the 2013 presidential election”.
The FM said Azerbaijan has become the regional leader and a reliable partner on the international scene due to its continuous, sustainable and strategic course. Mammadyarov hailed the significance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway in terms of contributing to energy and transport strategy of Azerbaijan. He said the projects would also elevate Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey trilateral relations to a new level.
Minister Mammadyarov provided an insight into Azerbaijan`s activities as a member of the United Nations Security Council, its hosting Eurovision song contest, World Intercultural Dialogue Forum, Baku International Humanitarian Forum, as well as preparations for the Baku European Games-2015. “Among the most remarkable achievements of the foreign policy pursued in the past 10 years was the election of Azerbaijan to one of the world`s most prestigious organizations for the first time in its history, the UN Security Council.” The Minister added that Azerbaijan had made huge contribution to bolstering dialogue among civilizations and cultures.
On the significance of TANAP and TAP projects, the FM quoted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying at the Shahdeniz-2 final investment decision signing ceremony in Baku last December that “this project will change the energy map of the region and Europe entirely”.
Mammadyarov said that $45 billion will be invested and over 30,000 new jobs will be created as a result of the implementation of the Shahdeniz, TANAP and TAP projects, which he described “as one of the biggest energy projects in the world”.
Responding to a question about settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Minister pointed out that Azerbaijan`s position is clear and “is based on fundamental principles of international law, four resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, the Helsinki Final Act and other resolutions and decisions of international organizations”. He said the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute must be resolved within the framework of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in order to ensure a lasting peace. “The Armenian armed forces must withdraw from Azerbaijan`s occupied lands and one million refugees and internally displaced people must return to their places of origin," Mammadyarov said. The Minister noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. “Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, the Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.”
On Azerbaijan-Italy relations, Mammadyarov said the two countries are bound together by ties of friendship. “Azerbaijani-Italian relations have lasted for centuries and today remain strong.” The Minister said Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which existed in 1918-1920, had diplomatic relationship with Italy. The Minister said: “Italy opened its consulate and military office in Baku at that time. And the two countries paid several reciprocal visits.”
“Italy is a very important partner for Azerbaijan and the bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries are set to record a strong development,” Mammadyarov said.
The FM pointed out that Italy is the largest trade partner of Azerbaijan. “Azerbaijan-Italy trade stands at 5 billion euro. The two countries enjoy good bilateral relations. Azerbaijan is one of the biggest oil suppliers of Italy, and will become a major supplier of gas to the country in the years to come,” Mammadyarov said.