Palestinian FM: We show our solidarity with territorial integrity of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and the Palestinian Authority have laid a foundation for political and economic cooperation. In what fields are the Palestinian businessmen most interested in Azerbaijan?

It is true that I have made a very important and very successful historic visit to Azerbaijan and met with His Excellency President, my colleague Minister of Foreign Affairs and people from parliament. We have agreed that we have to develop our bilateral relations in all aspects and the economic aspects is one these is aspects.

As we have done with many other friendly countries ministries of economy should meet and then to see how they could really develop the economic relations, in particular if it is possible to set up a joint business center, or business body association council.

Azerbaijani and Palestinian, businessmen from both countries could really form part of that council in order really to see how they could develop economic relations through joint projects and joint investments. This could be very possible and the whole idea is for that the minister of economic from Palestine to visit Baku and whether could agree to set up this joint council, where we could really encourage business community from Palestine and Azerbaijan to see exactly what are the areas and fields for joint investment and cooperation and this could be the best approach to do so in order really to strengthen our political relationships, because usually political relationships needs to be strengthened through economic cooperation and economic relationships, and the sides are ready and atmosphere is very positive to do so.

What are the prospects of political cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Azerbaijan?

We have first of all agreed to open Palestinian embassy in Baku and to cooperate through our representatives in international areas, in particular in the United Nations in Geneva and many other areas where our representatives should really meet to coordinate the positions in advance of any meetings or actions to be taken. This really strengthens and deepens further political cooperation and of course develops it even more. Obviously, if Azerbaijan decides to open its representative office in Palestine, this also will help very much. I also hope that soon we could really talk of visits of presidents or other high level officials in order to develop further our political relationship.

When can we expect President Mahmud Abbas's visit to Azerbaijan?

I spoke to my president about it and he is very interested in this trip. We are looking for the best time to do so and really coordinate with Azerbaijani authorities to see what will be the most appropriate time for both sides to hold such meeting. But president Mahmud Abbas is more than eager to do this visit on order to see how we could strengthen all kind of relations between the two countries. I think this might open up the possibility to signing the framework agreement between the two countries, or maybe to signing on different areas and sectors, maybe setting up joint comities at the presidential level or at the level of Foreign ministries. I think that this by itself is a reflection of the desire both leaderships to take the necessary steps to think about bilateral relations.

What position does the Palestinian Authority take in Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict?

We said very clear that we show our sympathy and solidarity with Azerbaijani people when it comes to their territorial integrity and sovereignty as a country. Obviously we have opted as Palestinians that the best way to solve our problems is through political negotiations and we hope that Azerbaijan could also solve its problem with Armenia through political negotiations. But always we have shown our solidarity and sympathy with Azerbaijan when it comes to the territorial integrity.

Azerbaijan is the leading country in the South Caucasus. What is your estimation of Azerbaijan's policy pursued with regard to countries in the region?

We have always said, that we would like to see Azerbaijan play an important role in our region at least in the political level. Azerbaijan enjoys good political relations with Israel, enjoys good relationships with Palestinians, and this really allows it to play important role as a mediator in this conflict. Both Israel and Palestine respect Azerbaijan's as a country as a leadership and this really allows intervening, if it desires to do so. At the same time we have always thought that our embassy opened in Baku will be the embassy with regional mandate in order that from Azerbaijan we can oversee our relationships with the rest of the countries in the region. This is an important indicator.

Azerbaijan always could look into ways how to promote better relationships between the conflicting countries in the region, and setting up seminars, conferences in Baku or any other cities of Azerbaijan. It could really bring experts from the region in order to see how it can produce some rapprochement between countries when it comes to different conflicting matters. So Azerbaijan can bid such an action and the moment that Azerbaijan shows any signals that it would like any kind of meeting I think that all of countries will accept such invitation order to Azerbaijan leading role bringing about this rapprochement of the countries when it comes to specific matter related to issue that Azerbaijan can do it.

The recent summit in Libya had satisfied the demands of the Palestinian Authority to not launch the indirect peace talk unless Israel stops settlements building while several Arab countries call to quit the peace process. How would you estimate the contribution of Arab countries in the peace process? What steps do you expect from Arab countries in order to convince Israel to stop settlement activity?

The Arabs had presented in 2002 the Arab peace initiative that offers Israel total peace in exchange Israeli withdrawal from Arab occupied territories. 22 Arab countries will be ready that Israel decide to leave Arab occupied territories - Palestinian territories, Golan Heights of Syria and Shabaa farm in Lebanon, immediately Arabs will decide to enter diplomatic relations with Israel, open embassies, raise Israeli flags in their capitals.

This is by itself is very important because, it is not only to recognize Israel, but also accept Israel as a reality in the Middle East. In Libya, as on the previous summits, the Arabs have stressed that peace is strategic choice and not the war. When it comes to Israeli-Palestinian the Arab countries in Libya adopted many resolutions in support to the Palestinian position. In particular when it comes to Israeli settlements, when it comes to what Israel is doing with Jerusalem - changing the Arab, Islamic and Christina corrector of the city and try to create facts to prevent that Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestinian state in the future.

It was expected that Arab would show solidarity to the Palestinians. When it comes to the proximity talks, the Arabs have shown backing to the Palestinian position but also because their concern about the possibility of any success of this negotiations always will be linked to the acceptance of their certain conditions. In the case with proximity talks they made reference to the 4 month period to the fact that Israel will freeze whole settlements activity and the fact that there should be political reference to these talks. Arabs are willing to exert international pressure to resume these talks as soon as possible.

It is very clear that there will be no chance to talks with Israel as long as Israel violates the right of Palestinians on the Palestinian occupied territories. According to the international law and all resolutions in the Security Council and General Assembly all the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian territories are illegal. It is not anymore the Palestinian demand that Israel freeze activity, it is international demand. In this case when president Barak Obama came and said that Israeli has to freeze settlement activity in order for the negotiations to be resumed and then for us to follow the decisions of the European Union and Quartet, right now this position is not anymore Palestinian position, but it is collective international world position.

Israel has to adhere to it if it really wants to be accepted to this collective policy. Until now Israel tries to avoid the pressure from the USA. But we do believe that finally Israel has to adhere if really wants to save from the effects of the occupation. Because the effects of the occupation is being reflective in the society in Israel. Right now we are talking about the violent society in Israel and this violent society is reflection of the way how their some solders do behave us, when it comes to serve in the Palestinian occupied territories. In this case I do believe that it is very important this issue will be dealt with.

Israel believes that the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks are ineffective because of absence of Palestinian unity government. Is there a need to establish a coalition government of Palestine to reach a progress in the peace process?

I don't see a link between forming Palestinian national unity and between having the progress in the peace process. We used to have Palestinian national unity in the past but it didn't help at all to proceed with negotiations with Israel. So these two issues are not related at all. It could be possible that with having Palestinian national unity will strengthen the Palestinian positions in the negotiations with Israel but necessary that lacking Palestinian national authority will  prevent peace process with Israel. I think Israel has been using this issue as a pretext in order to run away its obligation according to the Road map. The moment we reach agreement over this with Israel, we will adhere to the realities here in the Palestinian territories and will call for public referendum that will help to get public support for any agreement that is reached with Israel.

Presently, Turkey acts as a mediator in the solution of the Middle Eastern conflicts and we have been watching an increasing Turkish role in the region. How effective could Ankara's steps be in this regard in order to reach peace in the region?

When it comes to the Turkish intervention, Turkey has been intervening between Syria and Israel, but not between Palestine and Israel at all. The mediator in the palestinian-israeli negotiations is the USA and not really Turkey. But at the same time I could acknowledge that the fact of Turkish involvement in the region has increased substabtionaly lately, at the economical level but also politicaly. Turkey has been trying to help to solve some Arab problems and I think it has really increased the respectability and the incredibility of the Turkey within the Arab world and allows Turkey to play further role. But so far when it comes the peace process, Turkey has had an exclusive intervention in the indirect talks Syria and Israel, despite it had tried to he mediate between Fatah and Hamas but this role has always been limited by Egypt.


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