Sahiba Gafarova: Parliamentary diplomacy serves as a platform for constructive cooperation even in the presence of disagreements
Baku, May 7, AZERTAC
The First Summit of Speakers and Presidents of Parliament of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Member and Partner States was held in Budva.
Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova attended the summit. In her address, Sahiba Gafarova described PAM as an important platform for interparliamentary cooperation, dialogue, and the promotion of peace and stability over the past 20 years.
She stressed that, although Azerbaijan is not geographically part of the Mediterranean, it maintains strong ties with the Mediterranean and Gulf regions, contributes to energy security through diversified routes, and plays an active role in East–West transport links, particularly the Middle Corridor, thereby supporting cooperation and economic resilience.
Highlighting the growing role of parliaments in international relations, Sahiba Gafarova noted that parliamentary diplomacy complements traditional diplomacy by promoting dialogue, transparency, and trust. She emphasized that it should be inclusive, grounded in international law and democratic principles, and serve as a platform for constructive cooperation even in the presence of disagreements.
“The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan supports this approach and places special emphasis on cooperation within multilateral parliamentary platforms,” Gafarova underscored.
Sahiba Gafarova further welcomed the decision to grant observer status to the Azerbaijani and Armenian parliaments, noting that the two countries are learning to live in peace after decades of conflict. She emphasized that this step could contribute to the development of dialogue and confidence-building between the two countries in line with ongoing peace and normalization efforts. She added that the parliaments are also working to build trust between the two peoples, stressing that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean could become another important platform for constructive cooperation.
The Azerbaijani Speaker highlighted the country’s active role in international parliamentary work, stressing that stronger interparliamentary cooperation would support peace, stability, and sustainable development.
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