'“Azerbaijan plays important role in ensuring Europe`s energy security'

The second day of Istanbul World Political Forum heard a report by the chief of the political analysis and information provision department at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Elnur Aslanov in the “Prospects of Economic Cooperation in the Black Sea Region and The Competition for Supremacy in the Caucasus” session.

On geopolitical situation of South Caucasus and Azerbaijan`s foreign policy, Aslanov underlined that Azerbaijan was subjected to aggression of Armenia, with 20 percent of its territories occupied and one million Azerbaijanis driven out from their native lands. “Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov named Armenia as Russia`s outpost, and it shows that Armenia is not an independent state. The international organizations have to increase their efforts to restore Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity. Unfortunately, mediation mission of OSCE Minsk Group has not given any results,” he said.

Aslanov spoke of Azerbaijan`s strategic cooperation with the West, particularly the US. “Azerbaijan plays important role in ensuring Europe`s energy security. Successful implementation of energy routes diversification policy by Azerbaijan mostly depends on elimination of separatism in the region,” he added.

Azerbaijani MP Ganira Pashayeva addressed the session on women`s role in the politics. She underlined that Azerbaijan has the highest women representation in the local and central authorities among Islamic nations.

Yossef Bodansky, Director of the US Research of the International Strategic Studies Association, said that the entire world had to demonstrate fair position on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The US and other countries have to increase pressure on Armenia to achieve peace and stability in South Caucasus.”


/AzerTAc/