Baku South Caucasus Forum continues in sessions
Baku, May 7 (AZERTAC). The South Caucasus Forum has continued in sessions in Azerbaijan`s capital of Baku.
Moderator of the first session, titled “The Challenge of Shared Societies”, former executive director of UNESCO, member of the Board of Directors of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center Federico Mayor Zaragoza thanked the Azerbaijani government for excellent organization of the event.
Resident Coordinator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Azerbaijan Antonius Broek spoke of Azerbaijan`s activity as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. He hailed Azerbaijan`s rapid economic development, adding the country achieved most of its goals. Broek expressed confidence the forum would contribute to boosting Azerbaijan`s cooperation with foreign counterparts.
Former president of Finland, member of the Board of Directors of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and Member of the Club de Madrid Tarja Halonen praised overall development in Azerbaijan
Former president of Bolivia and vice-president of the Club de Madrid Jorge Quiroga underlined the contribution that Azerbaijan makes to European energy security. He stressed Azerbaijan had rich natural resources, and praised the government`s efforts to invest energy revenues in development of social fields.
The second session was called “Shared Societies as a Tool for Conflict Resolution in Complex Situations”. Opening the session moderator, member of the Greek Parliament, former minister of foreign affairs Dora Bokoyannis said “being in Azerbaijan we see a strong and strategic part of the region”. She stressed Azerbaijan deserves to be always supported on the international scale.
Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili praised development in Azerbaijan`s capital city. He said despite all difficulties Azerbaijan and Georgia show a good example of cooperation in the region. He stressed that founded by genius politician Heydar Aliyev, the policy, which ensured Azerbaijan`s development, is being successfully continued. Saakashvili expressed confidence Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad will play important role in future development of the region.
Addressing the session, former Israeli minister of defense Ehud Barak noted the role of society in settlement of conflicts, and expressed hope for soonest settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi spoke of women`s rights and gender equality and democracy in religious societies.
Former president of Lithuania Vytautas Landsbergis touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and said European Union, which remained inactive for a long time, must take a resolute position.
Closing the session, Dora Bokoyannis expressed regret over inactivity of the Minsk group and indifference of the international community on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
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