POLITICS
FM MAMMADYAROV: “IN USA, WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES OF COOPERATION WILL BE DISCUSSED’
In particular, speaking to representatives of the Russian and Azerbaijan media, the head of foreign policy department has declared, that during forthcoming visit of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev to the USA and meetings with President George Bush, a wide spectrum of questions of bilateral cooperation, and also questions of the international and regional character will be discussed. According to the minister, one of the important themes of negotiations will be settlement of conflicts on the Caucasus. Also will be discussed issues of ensuring energy safety, combat against international terrorism, in particular, participation of Azerbaijan in anti-terror coalition.
Making comments on the question, whether in the USA will be discussed the theme of Iran, Elmar Mammadyarov has informed: “The theme of Iran can sound in the context of regional policy. We do not have any problem with Iran, we have common borders, there passes a unique way of delivery of cargoes to Nakhchivan, isolated from Azerbaijan as a result of the conflict to Armenia. Iran is our close neighbor, we are united by much in the economic and cultural plan, the history, and religion, there lives many Azerbaijanis. Iran is the regional country, the regional leader and we support settlement pf the questions by diplomatic means, and any state has the right under control of IANE over peace development of atomic engineering”.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan informed, that new offers during negotiations in Washington concerning settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are difficult for expecting. “Positions which were constant in Azerbaijan during 15 years, remain unchanged. We always supported and continue to support that the question should be solved according to norms and principles of international law, with known resolutions of Security Council of the United Nations, decisions of the OSCE. And there is no doubt, if we wish to solve the conflict really and that it periodically did not flash, the decision should be based exclusively on legality. Intermediaries try to find things in common to pull together positions of the parties. As to concept of ‘self-determination’, by principles of international law, it does not mean infringement of territorial integrity. Self-determination of people or national minority is realized within the limits of territorial integrity, and Azerbaijan is from its part ready to give to the Armenian national minority within the limits of Nagorno Karabakh the highest degree of autonomy. This example is known for all and widely practiced in the world, in Europe”, the Minister told.