Participation in G20 to strengthen Azerbaijan's role

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan is becoming an important player in the region and is an important partner of Turkey, said Ali Babacan, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister on May 12.

The deputy prime minister made the remarks at the B20 Regional Consultation Forum held in Baku as part of the G20. Currently, the Business 20 is chaired by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey.

“Azerbaijan’s economy saw its greatest development over the years of independence, which is of great importance not only for the country, but also for the entire region,” said Babacan. “Azerbaijan’s participation in the G20 summit will further strengthen its role in the world arena.”

Russia chaired the G20 in 2013 and in 2014 it was replaced by Australia. This year Turkey is chairing the G20.

The Group of Twenty is a leading forum for discussion of global economic and financial cooperation. It includes the 20 largest national economies - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, China, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the US, Turkey, France, South Korea, Republic of South Africa, Japan and the EU. About 85 percent of the global GDP accounts for these countries.

Azerbaijan will be represented as a full member at all events to take place at the G20 platform in November 2015 in Antalya under Turkey’s chairmanship.

The official also noted that the joint energy projects, such as the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, are further reinforcing the role of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region.

Aside from that, he said, the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be completed by late this year.

The TANAP project envisages the transportation of gas of Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field from the Georgian-Turkish border to the western borders of Turkey. TANAP’s initial capacity is expected to reach 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be delivered to Turkey and the rest of the volume to Europe. Turkey will receive gas in 2018. The gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020 after the Trans Adriatic Pipeline is constructed.

Babacan further said the policy of occupation has alienated Armenia from the development and participation in energy projects realized in the region.

“Turkey, as always, supports Baku in the issue of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he stressed.

Azerbaijan’s participation in G20 summit is very crucial, since this country is of special importance for Turkey, Rifat Hisarciklioglu, chairman of Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges said at the event.

Azerbaijani entrepreneurs should take into account that the G20 summit is important for resolving both regional and international problems, he added.

Armenian isolation

Armenia’s occupation policy absolutely isolates it from regional projects, said Shahin Mustafayev, Azerbaijani Economy and Industry Minister.

As long as Armenia continues its occupation policy, it will stay away from all regional projects and will be absolutely isolated, according to Mustafayev. “In this case, Armenia’s economic development is ruled out altogether.”

Mustafayev added that together with Turkey and Georgia, as well as other strategic partners, Azerbaijan contributes to regional stability and regional economic development.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented any of the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.