President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended “Azerbaijan: The European advanced lighthouse toward the orient” session of the Crans Montana Forum - UPDATE - PHOTOS

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev yesterday completed his working visit to Belgium.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev yesterday met with French President`s special and personal adviser for anti-terrorism affairs Jean-Louis Bruguiere.

They discussed various fields of bilateral relations, in particular security issues.

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23.06.2011

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended “Azerbaijan: The European advanced lighthouse toward the orient” session of the Crans Montana Forum in the Belgian capital.

The President and his spouse first viewed an exhibition on Azerbaijan. The exhibition highlighted the country`s economic, energy, tourism and cultural potential. It also provided an insight into achievements of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Opening remarks at the Forum were delivered by Jean-Paul Carteron, Founder and Chairman of the Crans Montana Forum. He informed the participants about Azerbaijan.

Didier Reynders, Belgium`s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, spoke of development processes in Azerbaijan, its achievements in energy sector and investment climate in the country. Reynders praised President Ilham Aliyev`s role in ensuring Azerbaijan`s development. He called Azerbaijan Europe`s door to Asia.

Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, highlighted Azerbaijan`s energy achievements. He said energy security was number one priority for Europe, praising Azerbaijan`s achievements in oil and gas industry.

He stressed the importance of the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor, which was signed between Azerbaijan and the European Commission in Baku this January.

Sali Berisha, Albania`s Prime Minister, also praised Azerbaijan`s achievements in energy sector.

Other speakers included Hamid Temmar, Algeria`s Minister of Planning, and Abdelaziz Altwaijri, Director General of ISESCO. Altwaijri praised Azerbaijan`s cooperation with ISESCO. He hailed Azerbaijan`s hosting ISESCO- and UNESCO-supported events, adding the country proved its commitment to cultural values. Altwaijri also praised the Azerbaijani first lady`s activity as ISESCO goodwill ambassador.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was presented with a PRIX DE LA FONDATION award of the Crans Montana Forum. The Head of Azerbaijani state also made a speech at the Forum. He highlighted development processes in Azerbaijan. The President said: “For ten years Azerbaijan has been a member of the European Council, and now we are strengthening our relations with the European Union.”

The Azerbaijani leader stressed the importance of his meetings in Brussels, adding there were wide opportunities to develop the cooperation in the future. President Aliyev said Azerbaijan`s economy continued to develop even amid the global economic crisis.

The President noted his country placed a particular importance on cooperation with European structures. “Azerbaijan is playing an important role in the intercultural dialogue, our society is multicultural and Azerbaijan has become home to international cultural events.”

President Aliyev said Azerbaijan attached a particular emphasis to regional security. On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani leader said twenty percent of Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized lands had been under Armenia`s occupation, with over million Azerbaijanis becoming refugees and IDPs.

“Armenia has not yet fulfilled resolutions of the international organizations. The conflict`s settlement will be the greatest contribution to the regional security.” The President touched upon energy issues. He highlighted the activity of the Azerbaijan State Oil Fund and stressed the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor.

President Aliyev also thanked those who voted for Azerbaijan in the Eurovision song contest. The Chairman of the Crans Montana Forum praised Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev`s and President Ilham Aliyev`s role in ensuring the country`s development. The Azerbaijani President was presented with PRIX DE LA FONDATION award.

President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the award. “I consider this award as one presented to Azerbaijan,” he said. The 22nd Crans Montana Forum brings together political and business elite to discuss key regional and global issues.

The Crans Montana Forum is a Swiss International Organization created in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in 1986 with the support and the involvement of Swiss Authorities. It works for the promotion of international cooperation and contributes to global growth while ensuring a high level of stability, equity and security. The aim is also to foster the best practices and ensure a global dialogue.

The 22nd Crans Montana Forum brings together political and business elite to discuss key regional and global issues. The 23rd Crans Montana Forum will take place in Baku next June.

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Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev has met Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance Didier Reynders. They praised the Azerbaijan-Belgium cooperation. They discussed political and economic relations, as well as settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met Prime Minister of Albania Sali Berisha in Brussels.

They stressed the importance of expanding the bilateral relations. The Albanian Premier said his country was keen in cooperation with Azerbaijan.

They exchanged views on how to create opportunities for Albanian investment in Azerbaijan and cooperation in different spheres, including tourism and privatization. They also emphasized the importance of reciprocal visits.

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“There is an active dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan”, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev told joint press conference with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission in Brussels.

“We continue our efforts to implement legal and political reforms in our country. Azerbaijan`s economy is developing very fast”, President Ilham Aliyev said.

The Head of State emphasized the importance to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the internationally recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev outlined that all refugees and internally displaced persons must return to their homes. The President also said that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of the EU.

The meeting comprehensively covered the issues of energy policy. 

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Yesterday, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule.

They exchanged views on the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation, in particular projects and work carried out under the Eastern Partnership Program.

They explored ways of expanding the bilateral cooperation. The Azerbaijani leader and the European Commissioner also discussed negotiations on the Association Agreement, and simplification of the visa regime.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and European Union president Herman Van Rompuy have given a joint press conference following their meeting in the Belgian capital. Van Rompuy praised Azerbaijan`s win in the Eurovision song contest.

“I would like to congratulate you on your success in the Eurovision song contest. All quarters of Europe will meet next year in Baku, bringing the limelight on Azerbaijan.”

The EU president expressed the organization`s commitment to develop relations with Azerbaijan.

“You should also be assured that we are committed to strengthening relations with your country. We are therefore pleased that the negotiations on the Association Agreement are advancing well,” he told the Azerbaijani leader.

“Our commitment to our relationship with Azerbaijan and to our eastern partners is also reflected in our preparations and expectations for the Eastern Partnership summit in Warsaw in September.”

Van Rompuy added: “The Warsaw Summit will be the occasion to renew the commitment of both the EU and the partners to the ambitious goals of the Partnership. This will include the joint commitment to the values and principles that underpin the Eastern Partnership, in particular democratic principles and practices, the respect for human rights, good governance and the rule of law.”

The EU president touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, underlining “the strong EU support for a peaceful resolution of this long standing dispute in the EU‘s neighbourhood”.

“It is now high time to make additional efforts to finalise the agreement on the Basic Principles. This would allow to start negotiations on a peace agreement soon,” Van Rompuy added.

He also praised Azerbaijan`s role in ensuring Europe`s energy security. “Another central element in the EU-Azerbaijan relations is energy. I am glad that President Aliyev could confirm today that Azerbaijan is a committed partner and will continue to provide the EU market with significant volumes of energy supplies in the Future,” he said.

President Aliyev praised the Azerbaijan-EU relations, saying “today they have entered a new stage”. The President said the Eastern Partnership Program opened up new opportunities for an active dialogue.

He said the work on the Association Agreement was underway, adding it would cover a number of fields. “The agreement will allow creating a framework for a longer cooperation which will make us closer to Europe.”

On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani leader said a recent statement by heads of state of OSCE Minsk Group`s co-chairing countries was encouraging. “Their statement in which they said that the status-quo is not acceptable and must be changed, and that the conflict must be solved on the basis of the Helsinki Final Act was quite encouraging.”

“We want the conflict to be solved as soon as possible so that hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis can return to their homelands.” The President highlighted the Azerbaijan-EU energy cooperation.

“Our energy cooperation has a good history, today Europe has become one of the main consumers of our energy resources.” President Aliyev stressed the importance of the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor, which he signed with the European Commission President in Baku this January.

The Azerbaijani leader said the declaration would give Europe an access to “alternative, reliable and huge gas resources”.

President Aliyev expressed confidence “the friendly and partner relations” between his country and the European Union would successfully continue in the future.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met European Union president Herman Van Rompuy.

They praised the Azerbaijan-EU relations. They also exchanged views on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Eastern Partnership Program, energy cooperation and prospects of expanding the Azerbaijan-EU relations.


President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and European Parliament president Jerzy Buzek made joint press statements following their meeting in Brussels.

The European Parliament president stressed the importance of his recent visit to Azerbaijan. He praised the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation. Mr. Buzek said they have had fruitful discussion on visa regime facilitation, regional security, Eastern Partnership Program and cooperation within the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

The European Parliament president praised the energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and EU.

On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr. Buzek said the European Parliament supported the dispute`s settlement within the OSCE Minsk Group.

President Aliyev said the European Parliament president`s visit to Azerbaijan would contribute to developing the partnership between his country and the Parliament.

The President said Azerbaijan was trying its best to bring its policy in conformity with that of the European Union countries. The Azerbaijani leader highlighted the business climate in the country.

“The volume of the foreign investment in Azerbaijan is increasing.” President Aliyev said they also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said: “Not only Azerbaijan but also the OSCE Minsk Group`s co-chairing countries as well as European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated that the continuation of the status-quo was unacceptable.”

The Azerbaijani leader said 20% of his country had been under occupation, adding “putting an end to the occupation will ensure the development of the South Caucasus region”.

President Aliyev stressed the importance of the relations as part of the Eastern Partnership Program and the establishment of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

Following the statements the Azerbaijani President and the European Parliament president responded to questions from journalists.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met European Parliament president Jerzy Buzek as part of his working visit to Belgium.

They discussed settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, ways of expanding the Azerbaijan-EU interparliamentary relations, Eastern Partnership Program, and cooperation as part of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

They also exchanged views on the Association Agreement and simplification of Azerbaijan-EU visa regime.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had a joint working dinner with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in Belgium.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday gave a joint press conference.

The European Commission president praised the Azerbaijan-EU relations.

Mr. Barroso said “we had a very open and fruitful discussion” on a number of topics, including Eastern Partnership program, European neighborhood policy and democratic development process in Azerbaijan.

He recalled his January visit to Baku, praising Azerbaijan`s modernization and development.
The European Commission president also stressed the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor, which he signed with the Azerbaijani President during his Baku visit.
On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, underlined EU`s strong support for a peaceful resolution of the dispute. He added it was high time to finalize the settlement of the conflict.

The European Commission president also congratulated President Aliyev on Azerbaijan`s win in Eurovision song contest.

The President of Azerbaijan said his country enjoyed an active dialogue with the European Union.

He said they discussed a number of issues of mutual concern. President Aliyev highlighted political and legal reforms in Azerbaijan, saying his country`s economy was dynamically developing.

On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Aliyev stressed the importance of solving it on the basis of the internationally recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The President noted all refugees and IDPs had to return to their homelands.

President Aliyev called Azerbaijan the European Union`s reliable partner. He noted that his meeting with the European Commission president also discussed energy issues.

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22.06.2011

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was interviewed Wednesday by Euronews TV in Brussels, as part of his working visit to Belgium.

The Head of State responded to questions about current state of and prospects for the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev yesterday arrived in Belgium for a working visit.


/AzerTAc/

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