TODAY.AZ / Politics

Baku seeking closer ties with Buenos Aires

22 September 2015 [16:01] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan attaches great importance to developing relations with the countries of South America, particularly Argentina.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark at a meeting with a delegation headed by Argentinean Deputy Foreign Minister Eduardo Zuain on September 21, the ministry reported.

The sides agreed to hold an early session of the intergovernmental economic commission.

Mammadyarov applauded Azerbaijani-Argentine political relations, stressing the importance of political consultations held between the foreign ministries.

Zuain, for his part, said there were fruitful opportunities for cooperation in the fields of industry, energy, agriculture, and information communication technologies.

They also underlined the significance of continuing the current trend of cooperation and mutual support within international organizations.

They exchanged views on the agenda of the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly, as well as regional and global affairs.

In the meantime, a political consultation was held between Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov and Zuain.

Praising bilateral political relations between the two countries, Khalafov noted that trade and economic relations of the countries do not meet potential.

He said there are great opportunities for the development of information technologies, and cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy, tourism, and industry.

Briefing the Argentinean official about the Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Khalafov stressed that it is a big threat, as well as an obstacle to development of the region.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, the Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 1994, but long-standing efforts by U.S, Russian, and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

Noting the importance of resolving the conflict with respect to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Khalafov said no significant progress has been made over the 20 years of mediation by the OSCE Minsk Group, which is responsible for the conflict’s resolution.

Zuain, in turn, said Argentina supports the negotiations that are underway in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

He noted that the absence of a working mechanism in international organizations delays the resolution of conflicts and, therefore, the UN system needs to be reformed.

Zuain added that Argentina adheres to the principle of territorial integrity of the countries in its foreign policy and acts according to this principle.

He further noted Azerbaijan's extensive experience in the energy sector and said Argentina is interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan from the point of view of studying this experience.

Argentina recognized Azerbaijan on March 9, 1992, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on November 8, 1993. Starting from the mid 2000’s, Azerbaijan began to build closer ties with Argentina and other South American countries.

Azerbaijan views its ties with Argentina as offering enormous opportunities for greater cooperation in many fields, and considers this country as a gateway to the wider South American region.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/143885.html

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