POLITICS
MM VICE-SPEAKER MEETS WITH DELEGATION OF NATO PA COMMITTEE
Visiting delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Committee’s Civil Dimension Sub-Committee on Democratic Governance led by its chairman Tchetin Kazak met Wednesday with Ziyafet Asgarov, first vice-speaker of the Milli Majlis, head of the Azerbaijan delegation to the NATO PA.
Z. Asgarov updated the NATO PA delegation on safeguarding human rights and freedoms in Azerbaijan, army building, economic reforms, and NATO-Azerbaijan relations. He said protection of human rights is the major goal of the Azerbaijan government. The President of Azerbaijan endorsed a number of important programs in this field. The Ombudsperson’s Office was established in Azerbaijan to this end.
According to him, Azerbaijan’s economy started developing rapidly after the contract of the century was signed in 1994. Azerbaijan contributed to the energy security in the Euroatlantic area by implementing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipelines and other huge projects.
While in Azerbaijan in May this year, NATO delegation praised Azerbaijan’s efforts to build the army and cooperation with NATO.
Azerbaijan National Security Conception has been endorsed and Military Doctrine has been developed and submitted for consideration at the autumn session of the Milli Majlis.
Then, Z. Asgarov briefed the delegation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, saying the conflict has not been solved yet because of Armenia’s destructive position.
Asgarov said Azerbaijan will liberate its lands through other ways if peace talks will produce no results.
Tchetin Kazak said the main aim of the visit is to get comprehensive information about Azerbaijan’s economic and political development as well as legal and democratic reforms.
T. Kazak said what he witnessed in Azerbaijan made good impressions on the delegation.