EDITOR's NOTE: Details added after the 15th paragraph
Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 27 / Trend , R.Darakhshan /
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov held in Luxembourg a meeting with the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on Oct. 26, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said to Trend .
The meeting, which was also attended by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office's special representative for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Andrzej Kasprzyk, focused on the meeting of presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Chisinau, the current negotiations process and the upcoming visit of the co-chairmen to the region.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
At the beginning of his visit to Luxembourg, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister took part in a joint working lunch with Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Spain's Secretary of State for European Affairs Diego Lopez Garrido, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commission representatives and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Armenia.
During the meeting, they discussed the current state and prospects of relations between the EU and South Caucasus countries, cooperation in East Partnership Initiative, and in particular, preparation of agreements on association with the EU, as well as exchanged views on resolving conflicts in South Caucasus region.
Elmar Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan is interested in deepening cooperation with the EU in various fields and that in this direction, our country attaches great importance to the initiative of Eastern partnership.
Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Minister noted that to advance this process, first, requires the withdrawal of the Armenian forces from occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Mammadyarov held the next meeting with the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. The meeting focused on cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan, regional issues and the process of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mammadyarov informed Solana about the process and the position of Azerbaijan on this issue.
The Minister said that the withdrawal of the Armenian forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan will create conditions for opening communications in the region, establishing peace and security, regional development and cooperation.
In turn, Solana stressed the importance of dynamics in the negotiations to resolve the conflict and said that the EU is ready to take the necessary steps for the positive development in the settlement process.
Then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan attended the tenth meeting of the Council of the EU-Azerbaijan. At the meeting, the European Union was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the EU Presidency of Sweden, Carl Bildt, the Foreign Minister of Spain that will lead the EU in January-June 2010, Diego Lopez Garrido, and the EU Commissioner for the European Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The meeting noted the importance of developing relations between the EU and Azerbaijan on the basis of respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of countries.
The meeting particularly noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Brussels gave a great impetus to cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU. Further, at the meeting, the participants welcomed the initiative of the Eastern Partnership, which, as has been said, gave impetus to the development of relations between the EU and Azerbaijan. The parties also noted the importance of the Association Agreement to further deepen cooperation.
The meeting discussed the situation around the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Mammadyarov reported in detail about the settlement process and stated that the opening of borders and restoration of communications without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territory will not bring lasting peace and stability in the region since the essence of the problem, consisting of the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, has not yet been resolved.
The meeting also discussed cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan in the energy sector. Azerbaijan's role was noted in ensuring Europe's energy security and energy diversity. At the meeting, the participants also noted that the EU will support the draft resolution entitled "Transnational Eurasian Super Information Highway, proposed by Azerbaijan to the UN General Assembly. Also, an agreement was reached on the establishment of the Center for European Studies at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. The sides mentioned the importance of the process of democratic reforms to strengthen the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.
This was followed by a joint press conference of the EU Council Presidency, the European Commission representatives and foreign ministers of the three South Caucasus countries.
Moreover, during the visit, Mammadyarov met with the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, Laurent Mosar. The sides discussed state and prospects of development of the Azerbaijani-Luxembourg relations. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the dynamic of the development of relations between the two countries, successful cooperation in the service sector, particularly in the banking and transport sectors. The sides offered to intensify mutual visits and more efficient use of existing economic capacities of the two countries to enhance contacts between them, as well as a variety of activities for the mutual promotion of culture of Azerbaijan and Luxembourg. The parties stressed the importance of developing inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries and organizations for the mutual visits.
Mammadyarov told about the development proceeding in our country, strategic projects, initiated by Azerbaijan, as well as regional value of the country. In turn, Laurent Mosar said he closely followed the development processes in Azerbaijan and appreciated the progress of our country in the right direction and its achievements. The meeting also discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU, the situation in the region, the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The last meeting that the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan held during his visit to Luxembourg, was a meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. During the meeting, the sides discussed state and prospects of the Azerbaijani-French relations, regional situation, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union.