Azerbaijan to become very important strategic partner of EU for years to come - Mladen Ivanic

By Trend

Azerbaijan will become a very important strategic partner of the EU for the years to come, Mladen Ivanic, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2018, Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, told Trend.

“Azerbaijan’s decision to build a gas pipeline via Turkey, Albania to Italy was essential not only for this country. In fact, because of this pipeline Azerbaijan will be one of the main suppliers for the Western Europe, thereby ensuring its energy security. It has extremely significant importance, especially in the new geopolitical circumstances after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Without that, Europe would be in a much more difficult situation. So, that decision simply creates circumstances of the significance of Azerbaijan and its role as an important partner of the European Union and the whole Western Europe,” he said.

Ivanic believes that Azerbaijan will have a lot of positive benefits from that decision.

“I am quite sure that this will be also very important for the political role of Azerbaijan. For the years to come Azerbaijan will be very important strategic partner of the European Union,” said the former president of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ivanic praised President Ilham Aliyev’s role in ensuring stability in the South Caucasus.

“The role of President Aliyev was extremely positive in regional framework. The problem with Karabakh which was there for more than three decades shows very clearly how President Aliyev was patient, but very committed to fulfill the final goal to have Karabakh back within the Azerbaijan borders. So, this is very sensitive case, it needed a lot of patience. But finally, when he saw that the situation and the circumstances are there, the decision of liberating Karabakh was essential.

Now I really believe that his offer to speak about the long-term peace, better relations with Armenia is essential for the whole region. Then I am quite sure that with his patience and his wisdom and with his commitment to the real peace, he will succeed. That makes him a very significant person for the whole stability not only in the Caucasus region, but even globally,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to President Aliyev for his continued support to the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

“The center is becoming very significant and important globally. It’s one of the leading global think-tanks or NGOs supporting peace and cooperation among the different civilizations. Cooperation with the UN institutions is also something very significant. The Global Baku Forum is now becoming one of the key events in the whole world where politicians, current presidents, former presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and academicians discuss the main issues and the main topics of the modern world. So, without strong support and very strong personal engagement from the President Aliyev especially in Global Baku Forum, all that couldn’t be possible,” Ivanic concluded.