POLITICS
AZERI DEPUTY SPEAKER MEETS CHAIRMAN OF NATO PA SUB-COMMITTEE
Baku, 12 April (AZERTAC). Vice-speaker of Azerbaijan Milli Majlis, head of the parliamentary delegation to NATO PA Ziyafat Asgarov has met today Rainer Stinner, chairman of the Assembly`s Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships.
Asgarov said his country attaches special importance to cooperation with NATO. “We have high-level cooperation and Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry carries out several successful events with the Alliance.”
Asgarov also briefed Stinner on the ongoing reforms in Azerbaijan, which, he said, contribute to increasing the country`s international prestige.
“But we have problems, as well,” said the vice-speaker, drawing attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
So, he underlined, Armenia still continues to occupy 20 percent of Azerbaijan`s territories, and does not honor the documents adopted by the UN, CoE and other international organizations on withdrawal of the armed forces from these lands. “If Yerevan continues to disregard the international law, Azerbaijan will have to liberate its territories by military means.”
Asgarov pointed out today the world community must put pressure on Armenia, but not Turkey.
“Various countries of the world try to label the events of 1915 as genocide, but show indifference to the massacre committed against the Azerbaijani people in Khojaly in 1992.” “They must give up a double-standard approach towards Azerbaijan and must accept the truth,” he added.
Stinner, in turn, thanked for the information about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said he considers that the dispute should be settled by peaceful means.
He also stressed NATO PA`s members were ready to render every assistance to resolve the conflict.
Stinner also said he witnessed great development in Azerbaijan since he visited the country in 2004.