AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF EUROPEAN POLICY CENTRE
Brussels, April 28 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has met here representatives of the European Policy Centre (EPC).
The meeting was opened by EPC Chief Executive Officer, Hans Martens, who said Azerbaijan is successfully cooperating with the European Union.
Martens described Azerbaijan as one of the active participants in the European Neighbourhood Policy.
He also touched upon energy cooperation, calling Azerbaijan the European Union`s reliable energy partner.
President Ilham Aliyev said successful reforms had been conducted in his country to develop economy, education and healthcare.
“The role of the private sector in the economy has considerably increased, we created favorable business climate, and reforms are also underway to strengthen democratic processes and ensure the rule of law.”
The President said: “Measures are taken in Azerbaijan to convert oil wealth into human capital, and transnational energy projects are also in focus. It is not accidental that Azerbaijan is playing a key role in ensuring Europe`s energy security. Our successful economic policy is highly praised by international financial institutions. The World Bank named Azerbaijan the top-reformer country in its Doing Business report.”
President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted Azerbaijan`s opportunities as a transit country.
The President also touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, saying “for twenty years part of Azerbaijan`s territory has been under Armenian occupation”.
“This created one million Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs. International organizations adopted resolutions condemning the occupation, but Armenia still continues to reject them.”
“Our position is resolute: the occupied lands must be freed, IDPs must return to their homelands and Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity must be restored,” said the President.
On Azerbaijan`s foreign policy, he said the country is interested in building partner relationship with all countries.
“Our relations with the European Union are also expanding,” the Azerbaijani leader added.
Afterwards, President Ilham Aliyev responded to questions.
Asked about the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said :”Armenia occupied not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but also 7 adjacent regions, destroying the whole infrastructure there.”
“Azerbaijan will never grant independence to Nagorno-Karabakh. The only way to solve the conflict is Armenia`s liberating Azerbaijan`s occupied lands. Only after this, Nagorno-Karabakh can be given a high level of self-governance,” said the President.
Responding to the question concerning Azerbaijan`s position in the region, President Ilham Aliyev said the country has big transit potential and is ready to share its opportunities with all partner countries.
“Azerbaijan, which once only imported gas, is now one of the largest gas producers. Azerbaijan supplies its gas to markets in Georgia, Turkey and EU countries.”
On the Azerbaijan-EU partnership, the Azerbaijani leader said cooperation within the Eastern Partnership initiative will be fruitful for both the country and the organization.
President Ilham Aliyev also responded to the question about the Turkey-Armenia relations, saying “Azerbaijan never interfered with internal affairs of any country”.
“It is a reality that it was the occupation of Azerbaijan`s territories that caused the closure of the Turkish-Armenian borders. And this occupation still continues,” stressed the Azerbaijani leader.
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