NATO PA`s 68th ROSE-ROTH SEMINAR STARTS IN BAKU
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly`s (PA) 68th Rose-Roth seminar entitled “Security in the Caspian region” started Thursday at the Park INN-Azerbaijan hotel in Baku.
First vice-speaker of Milli Majlis (Azerbaijan parliament), head of Azerbaijani delegation to NATO PA Ziyafat Asgarov opened the event.
Chairman of the Milli Majlis Ogtay Asadov conveyed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s greetings and best wishes to participants in the seminar.
Asadov noted the fact the issue of security in the Caspian and Central Asian regions tops the seminar`s agenda is an evidence of strengthening cooperation between the North Atlantic Alliance and Central Asian countries. The Speaker said Azerbaijan`s strategic goal is to integrate into political, economic and security structures in Euroatlantic space. He added Azerbaijan considers development of cooperation with NATO as one of its key foreign policy priorities. Asadov said Azerbaijan has important strategic geographical position in the South Caucasus, and added due to its huge economic potential and transport routs the country is being considered as one of the most important countries not only in South Caucasus, but also in whole Europe.
Ogtay Asadov underlined the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines have been contributing to providing Europe`s energy security.
Asadov noted Azerbaijan has included NATO standards to its national military education and training programs. He noted despite continuing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, Azerbaijan has started the process of improving its Armed Forces.
Asadov pointed out NATO leadership also attaches special attention to cooperation with Azerbaijan.
On his country`s Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, Asadov said it creates great obstacle to development of the whole region and presents a serious threat to international peace and security.
The Speaker stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh region is today the place where various international terrorist organizations are operating. Asadov expressed hope that the conflict will be solved peacefully within international legal norms based on the principle of inviolability of borders and territorial integrity of states.
NATO PA President Jose Lello said the organization attaches great importance to the South Caucasus, especially to Azerbaijan. Lello praised participation of NATO’s partner countries from Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - in the “Rose Roth” seminar for the first time.
The seminar continued its work with sessions: “Political and Security situation on the Caspian basin” and “Security in the South Caucasus: challenges and opportunities”.
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