TODAY.AZ / Baku-2015

Rob Sobhani: Hosting of European Games - testament to wise foreign policy of Ilham Aliyev

06 May 2015 [14:34] - TODAY.AZ
By Aygun Badalova

The hosting of the First European Games in Baku is a testament to the wise foreign policy of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who has steered the country in an independent path where the interests of the people of Azerbaijan come first, Rob Sobhani, CEO of the US Caspian Group Holdings company told Trend May 6.

Hosting of the European Games is a historic moment in the life of Azerbaijan, he said.

“It is indeed a proud moment for it solidifies the name of Azerbaijan in global affairs and places Azerbaijan as a permanent fixture of international events.”

Sobhani added that any country that hosts a major sporting event like the European Games has to have the infrastructure for that.

Thanks to President Aliyev’s emphasis on the non-oil sector as an engine of the country’s economic development, Azerbaijan is capable of hosting this prestigious event, he added.

“It is important to remember that the Games could have been hosted in Paris, London, Berlin or Budapest, but it is being hosted in Baku,” said Sobhani. “This is a victory for the people of Azerbaijan.”

The results of the Games will benefit Azerbaijan both in terms of short-term gains such as tourism and long-term gains such as a permanent infrastructure to be used by the people of Azerbaijan, according to the CEO of the US Caspian Group Holdings.

“And as the first country to host the First European Games, Azerbaijan will go down in history books,” he concluded.

Azerbaijan's tourism potential is increasing as does the flow of tourists into the country. As Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev said at the Caspian Energy Forum – 2015, the country aims to increase the flow of tourists by 30-40 percent within several years. Garayev said Azerbaijan plans to be receiving some 5 million of tourists annually by 2020.

Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take place on June 12-28, 2015.

There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.

Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012.

/By Trend/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/baku2015/140496.html

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