Baku,Prague seeking to deepen cooperation

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic believe that there is good potential to deepen bilateral ties in all fronts and see no obstacle on this way.

President Ilham Aliyev made the remark at a joint press conference with his Czech counterpart Milos Zeman, who is on an official visit to Baku.

“We mainly discussed the economic cooperation both at the level of delegations and in the bilateral format," President Aliyev said adding that the trade turnover is increasing between the two countries.

In January to July 2015, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $440.93 million, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

The Czech Republic mainly imports Azerbaijani oil, but predominantly exports industrial equipment and consumer goods to Azerbaijan.

Czech companies are present in Azerbaijan and implement contracts worth about $1 billion.

Aliyev said the Czech banks allocate considerable amount of funds for the implementation of the relevant projects, noting that these funds allow implementing various infrastructure projects, first of all in the transport sector in Azerbaijan.

“We also had a broad exchange of views on this issue. Certainly, we appreciate the results,” he stressed.

Aliyev said both the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan are very suitable countries for foreign investments.

“Foreign investments are protected at a high level. We should try to ensure our businessmen become more familiar with each other and intensify the cooperation,” he said.

A meeting of the [Azerbaijani-Czech] intergovernmental commission has been held recently which is also an important format, according to the president.

“So, I am confident that more successful results will be achieved in the economic sphere in the future. Nevertheless, today, I can say that the level of trade turnover can, to some extent, satisfy us,” he said.

President Aliyev further noted that the cooperation in the energy sphere is also under discussion.

Azerbaijan exports crude oil to the Czech Republic and the Azerbaijani oil accounts for around 30 percent in this country’s energy balance, which is also very important, the president underlined.

Ilham Aliyev also spoke about the Southern Gas Corridor, a large energy project with the total cost of $45 billion, which Azerbaijan is implementing.

The project envisages the Stage 2 of development of Shah Deniz field, as well as expansion of South Caucasus gas pipeline linking Azerbaijan and Georgia, construction of TANAP running through Turkey and TAP – the third project running from Turkish borders to Italian borders, the president added.

Together with Shah Deniz-2 project, these four major projects form the Southern Gas Corridor and Azerbaijan successfully fulfills its functions here

President Aliyev added that Azerbaijan participates as an investor in all these projects and as the main investor in some of them.

He further noted that although the world oil prices have sharply decreased in recent months, there are no delays in the implementation of this project and the work is going on schedule.

“Azerbaijan is fully convinced that the project for the Southern Gas Corridor will get realized and thus the construction of a new gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Europe will be ensured,” President Aliyev said.

Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity

The ties between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic develop successfully and there are excellent results in the political, economic and cultural spheres, President Aliyev said.

“We cooperate successfully in the political sphere. We work together and cooperate on international plane within international organizations,” he said, adding that the sides widely discussed the various aspects of bilateral relations.

He noted that there is no obstacle to deepening the bilateral cooperation, emphasizing that on the contrary the ties of partnership and friendship have emerged between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic.

“The declaration on strategic partnership, signed today, is a clear evidence of my words,” the president added.

President Aliyev and his Czech counterpart Zeman signed a "Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic" following their meeting in expanded format.

The president also noted that the declaration is a serious political document.

“It reflects the level, the significance of our bilateral relations, and it has indeed elevated our ties to the level of strategic partnership. We have seven similar contracts, agreements, and declarations with the EU member countries. Azerbaijan has already signed documents on strategic partnership with eight EU member countries,” he said.

The president added that the strategic partnership declaration reflects various aspects of ties between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic, in the meantime noting the document also reflects the essence and the ways to solve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the most painful problem for Azerbaijan.

He said the declaration shows that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved on the basis of the UN Charter, the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council, the Helsinki Final Act, the sovereignty, the territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.

“This is the only possible settlement option. All the conflicts should be solved on the basis of norms and principles of international law,” he added.

He noted that Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, which are Azerbaijani territories, recognized by international community, have been for many years under Armenian occupation.

“A policy of ethnic cleansing was carried out against our people. As a result of this policy, over one million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and internally displaced in their motherland. Twenty percent of our lands are under occupation, and Armenia continues this aggressive policy ignoring the calls of international mediators,” the president said.

He also added that the OSCE Minsk Group’s co-chairs – Russia, France and the U.S., which are dealing with this issue, have on the highest level declared that the status-quo on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is unacceptable and should be changed.

“The change of the status-quo, of course, means an end to the occupation. We want this. International community wants this. I am sure we will achieve what we want. Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity, and thus the international law and justice will be victorious,” President Aliyev said.

Furthermore, the president noted that there are good prospects for cooperation in other spheres as well, mentioning the humanitarian sphere.

The president added that there is a great interest in the Czech culture and history in Azerbaijan.

EP resolution political provocation built on lie

Furthermore, following their statement the presidents responded to journalists’ questions.

Responding to the question on the recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Azerbaijan, President Aliyev said the document is completely baseless, and is a political provocation built on lie, slander and biased attitude.

“We know which forces stand behind this. Those forces have previously repeatedly brought up baseless accusations against Azerbaijan, and have blackmailed us,” the president said.

He added that those forces’ sole aim is to tarnish and discredit the developing, modern, tolerant Azerbaijan – a homeland of multiculturalism, pursuing an independent policy, and to form a false opinion about Azerbaijan in Europe, which completely contradicts the truth.

“Certainly, here we see the role of the Armenian lobby as well and I believe that it won’t be bad if the relevant law enforcement agencies of Europe investigate the secret relations between the MEPs the Armenian lobbyists,” President Aliyev said.

He noted that some MPs who actively participate in these nefarious activities against Azerbaijan have repeatedly illegally visited the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh which is the integral part of Azerbaijan and thereby, grossly violated Azerbaijan’s laws.

“Meanwhile, I want to say once again that unfortunately, today, an anti-Azerbaijani group has been created in Europe, especially, in the European Parliament and this group tries to do everything possible to defame Azerbaijan and tarnish its image,” the president said.

“For us, for me as a president, the resolution adopted by the European Parliament is no more than a piece of paper. I do not attach any importance to it and of course, condemn it,” he underlined.

Azerbaijani president also said the adopted resolution will have no impact on Azerbaijan's will, and won't affect the country's position.

No foreign force can put pressure on Azerbaijan’s independent policy, based on national interests, by blackmailing and slandering it, according to the president.

He said the reaction of Azerbaijani parliament was quite expected, adding that because, the Azerbaijani parliament expressed its attitude as an independent structure, many MPs expressed their opinion and there was nothing but truth in their words.

“First, before accusing someone, take a look in the mirror. Today, the fate of the refugees heading from the Middle East to Europe for the whole world to see is clear. Those people are the victims of foreign intervention, and their countries were destroyed and razed to the ground. Who did this? Foreign forces have destroyed those countries, violated those countries’ territorial integrity, killed hundreds of thousands of people, and millions have lost their relatives,” the president said.

He drew attention to Islamophobia observed in the European society.

“And after this, being unable to bear these intolerable conditions, people began to come to Europe. And look what is waiting for them in Europe - Islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia. Are these the European values? It would be better if the European Parliament dealt with these issues,” he stressed.

The president added that today the aggressive circles, which interfere in other countries’ affairs and have virtually lost their tolerance, unfortunately dominate the European Parliament and some other structures.

Aliyev stressed that if there are any issues with regard to any country, they could be considered as part of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, a parliamentary assembly between the European Parliament and the Eastern Partnership countries.

“However, the Euronest has actually turned into an amorphous force and doesn’t carry out any activity. In such a case, of course, the parliament of Azerbaijan suspends its activities in the Euronest,” the president said.

He added that this is a sovereign right of the parliament of Azerbaijan.

The president said that the cooperation between the European Parliament and the parliament of Azerbaijan has been already suspended.

"These are the results of the nefarious campaign conducted against us. Azerbaijan responds and will continue to respond adequately to every step taken with regard to it,” he underscored.

President Zeman, for his part, noted that the EU Eastern Partnership program will lose a key component if Azerbaijan leaves it.

Earlier, Azerbaijani Parliamentary Speaker Ogtay Asadov proposed to appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers for revising the country's participation in the EU Eastern Partnership program.

Zeman said he considers the Eastern Partnership a useful program and praises the role that Azerbaijan has played in this organization up to now.

In particular, he pointed out the situation when some member states of the Eastern Partnership, for example, Ukraine faced a certain crisis and President Aliyev was trying to settle this conflict by peaceful means, especially during the meeting of presidents in Prague.

Zeman said he has been informed about the recent resolution of the European Parliament on Azerbaijan and the country’s reaction to it.

However, the EU Eastern Partnership program has nothing to do with this position, the Czech president said, adding that such initiatives have never been discussed within this program.

Furthermore, President Zeman said Czech Republic is ready to invest in more than 30 projects in Azerbaijan.

“The most promising ones are the options for cooperation in the sphere of railways construction, the supply of railcars, locomotives, as well as cooperation in the energy sector not only in Azerbaijan but also in Georgia,” Zeman said.

He went on to add that cooperation in the field of agriculture with dozens of the most diverse projects and the transport sector are also the promising directions of Czech investments.

“We are ready to cooperate in the supply of weapons, freight transportation. I would like Czech cars to become more widespread in Azerbaijan. In total, there are more than 30 projects in which we could invest,” Zeman said.

Currently, an Azerbaijani-Czech business forum is underway with participation of the two countries’ presidents.