BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov received a delegation headed by Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
At the meeting, the prospects for developing cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the region's current situation were discussed.
Minister Bayramov noted that IPU has an important mandate in terms of contributing to the establishment of ties, exchange of views, and contacts between parliaments of different countries, and added that our country also takes an active part in the Union's activities.
According to him, the cooperation between IPU and the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), founded during the presidency of our country in the Non-Aligned Movement, has broad prospects, and the 148th Assembly of the Union to be held in Geneva in March this year will be useful in terms of discussing the possibilities of cooperation.
Meanwhile, noting that in 2024 Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which is the largest event in the UN system, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov informed in detail about the preparatory work carried out in this direction and expressed hope for the active participation of IPU in the event.
After providing the Secretary General of IPU with a comprehensive overview of the current situation in the region during the post-conflict period, detailing the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the recently liberated territories, and outlining Azerbaijan's peace initiatives, Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that following the anti-terrorist operations in the Karabakh region last year, representatives from the UN and various other international organizations visited the area for the first time in three decades.
The Foreign Minister mentioned that despite our country's stance, certain international organizations, which remained inactive during the occupation and conflict, are impeding the progress of the ongoing normalization agenda. The Minister underscored that the recent actions taken by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe against Azerbaijan are viewed as yet another manifestation of a policy characterized by double standards.
Conveying contentment with his recurring visits to Azerbaijan, Secretary General Martin Chungong expressed IPU's keen interest in advancing bilateral cooperation. He expressed confidence in Azerbaijan's ability to successfully host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change as the host of COP29. Additionally, he noted that establishing close contacts with countries that previously hosted the event reflects Azerbaijan's systematic approach to its responsibilities.
During the meeting, the sides had a thorough exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel