First version: 16:17
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 27
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
Conflicts, protracted external aggression, and lack of responsibility threaten peace and security in the region, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said, Trend reports.
Bayramov made the remark during the 42nd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) member states.
The mentioned facts also hinder regional cooperation, said the FM.
The Azerbaijani FM noted that the statement signed by the president of Azerbaijan, the president of Russia, and the prime minister of Armenia on November 9, 2020, opened a new page in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“Armenia is withdrawing its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Peacekeeping forces are deployed in the former conflict zone and a joint monitoring center is being set up to monitor observance of the ceasefire,” said the minister.
“We’ve entered a new stage in the settlement of the conflict, the stage of reconstruction and rehabilitation, the stage of restoring peaceful coexistence. New opportunities for development and cooperation are emerging, and the BSEC must assess and take advantage of the new realities,” Bayramov noted.
“As reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, all economic and transport ties in the region are unblocked. This means that a vital independent land corridor between Asia and Europe could be launched, which will create opportunities to enhance the role of our region in trade,” the FM said.
“There is a lot that Azerbaijan can and has already offered to its partners. Our initiatives, which bring together the BSEC member states and allow us to build a common prosperous future, are the best example of our interest and potential to expand and deepen regional cooperation,” noted Bayramov.
“We can achieve a peaceful, prosperous and stable future only through joint efforts, especially, by fully observing international obligations regarding the inviolability of internationally recognized borders, the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” the foreign minister stressed.