Annual Report of the Foreign Ministry of Republic of Azerbaijan

REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PRESS SERVICE


December 29, 2007

Development of the international relations system and reconsideration of the international security concept in general and the state national security in particular, strengthening integration processes of the global and regional levels, world economic processes, as well as the unique tempo and level of economic growth in Azerbaijan and strengthening of the statehood conditioned active foreign policy of Azerbaijan, based on national interests and further fostering the country’s leading positions in the region.

In 2007, Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued its goal-oriented activities to further ensure national interests, creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of the country and protection of the citizens’ rights. The special emphasis was put on substantiating the state’s prestige and authority in international arena.

MFA has been active in all areas, including political, security, economic, human rights, humanitarian and other spheres.

Important steps have been undertaken to strengthen the conceptual basis in the area of defense and security. On May 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan approved the national security concept, developed by the MFA-led interagency working group with support of international experts. The Document lays out goals, principles and approaches founding the state policy on protecting independence, territorial integrity, constitutional structure and national interests of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In addition, drafting of the military doctrine entered the last stage and the work on foreign policy strategy and other conceptual documents continued.

Restoration of sovereignty, territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and return of the ethnically cleansed internally displaced people (IDP) to their homelands remained a priority in the foreign policy of the country.

Azerbaijan tried its utmost to use all and every opportunity to move the negotiation process forward in the peace talks on the settlement of the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The negotiations have been held at the level of presidents and ministers of foreign affairs in the framework of the so-called Prague process.

At the same time, the efforts continued to further consolidate position of international community based on support of territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally-recognized borders of Azerbaijan, as well as condemnation of the occupation and ethnic cleansing.

European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe, GUAM, OIC, leading nations, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs declared the so-called presidential and municipal elections in the occupied Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan illegal and with no legal effect. This proved once again a full and unavoidable failure of another attempt by Armenia to camouflage its annexationist policy and occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Expressing support and respect for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, international community sent a clear signal to those who tried to lead the peace process into a deadlock and accept the occupation of Azerbaijani lands as fait accompli.

Azerbaijan continued building on political and legal actions within the whole complex of problems regarding violation of norms and principles of international law. MFA-established, and constantly renewed information and analytical database, allowed reinforcing the efforts in this direction.

Attention of international community was drawn to the facts of deliberate destruction by Armenia of the historic and cultural monuments, occupied Azerbaijani cities and towns, as well as illegal economic activities in the occupied territories. Preparation, publication and dissemination of reports, books and other materials by MFA became a serious contribution to informing international community about the facts of vandalism in the Armenia- occupied Azerbaijani territories and Armenia’s international legal responsibility for the policy of occupation against Azerbaijan became.

At the 6th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Azerbaijan proposed a resolution on protection of the cultural rights and property during the armed conflicts, which was adopted unanimously. The issues on protection of the historic and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people remained a central point of our cooperation with UNESCO, Council of Europe and OIC.

Moreover, MFA took a number of steps in the relevant international fora to draw attention of international organizations to the issue of Azerbaijani IDPs, and adopt the adequate measures by UN and other international organizations to restore the rights of those, who have suffered from the Armenian aggression.

Azerbaijan continued active participation in international fight against terrorism, transnational organized crime, drug and human trafficking and other illegal activities. Azerbaijan made used of all existing bilateral, regional, and global formats of cooperation and attracted international assistance to improve relevant national capabilities.

One of the central tasks remained proper and better representation of Azerbaijan in the elected structures of international organizations. In 2007, Azerbaijan was elected a member of UN Pro and the UNFPA from the East European group of countries.

Development of integration links and strengthening of partnership with NATO and the European Union gained further momentum within the framework of European and Euro-Atlantic direction of the foreign policy. Azerbaijan continued its contribution to the European and international security, actively engaging in implementation of the initiatives aimed at ameliorating mechanisms and consolidating the foundations of the partnership. In May 2007, the NATO Council highly commended the progress achieved by Azerbaijan in the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan for 2005-2007. The drafting of the second Action Plan is almost completed. In the context of developing partnership with the European Union, the role of Azerbaijan in ensuring global energy security has increased while the direction of the country towards the integration into the European transport system was clearly manifested. Azerbaijan paid particular attention to the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan this year.

Along with the European dimension, Azerbaijan, as a part of the Islamic world, continued developing close cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Within its chairmanship in the OIC during the first half of 2007 Azerbaijan made an effort to raise the political role of the Organization, strengthening its influence and involvement into the world affairs, spreading awareness of Islam, its culture, values and philosophy worldwide and particularly in Europe. A number of international initiatives were sponsored with a purpose of promoting inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, developing tolerance and mutual understanding between different people and confessions, elaborating effective measures aimed at countering ethnic and religious intolerance. Proceeding from its centuries-long traditions of tolerance Azerbaijan was one of the active participants in the “Alliance of Civilizations” initiative.

Azerbaijan continued active international engagement in the sphere of human rights, contributing to the strengthening of international human rights protection system as an equal partner.

One of the important regional foreign policy directions remained expansion and deepening of the cooperation with the member-states of the “Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM”. The GUAM June Summit in Baku, where Azerbaijan assumed chairmanship in the Organization, and the 10th anniversary October Summit in Vilnius, for the first time involved high ranking officials from the partner and other interested countries, as well as high representatives of the international and regional institutions. This clearly demonstrates increasing international influence and importance of GUAM, as well as attention to this regional organization and support to its activities by international community. Establishment of the Group of friends of GUAM within the EU as well as the GUAM-US, GUAM-Japan and GUAM-Poland formats proved this trend once again.

GUAM, as a natural corridor between Europe and Asia and linking the continents together, contributes to security and stability, development of economic cooperation and trade, transit potential, inter-cultural dialogue, searching for common grounds and approaches in solving the topical and sensitive problems, removing the ideological and other stereotypes hindering rapprochement between countries and people.

In the outgoing year GUAM proved once again its validity as a an effective institution of coordinated actions aimed at countering threats and risks for the security of the member-states and for the consolidation of support for their efforts on behalf of the international community. Based on the developed unified approaches in the settlement of the conflicts the GUAM states submitted for consideration of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly the draft resolution “Protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for the international, peace, security and development”.

In 2007, active measures were carried out in the foreign economic sphere. A number of steps were taken with a view to promote interests of the state both in the global and regional integration processes. Azerbaijan continued negotiations for the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The issues of the implementation of the legal approximation Plan of Azerbaijan with the WTO standards.

During the passing year GUAM has proven once again that it is an effective institute of coordinated actions against threats and risks to security of member-states and mobilization of support on the part of international community. On the basis of elaborated common approaches with regard to conflicts settlement the GUAM states have put forward a draft resolution on the “protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development” for consideration by the UN General Assembly at its 62nd session.

Active measures were pursued in external economic development. Efforts to further state’s interests within both global and regional integration processes were undertaken during the year. Azerbaijan continued his negotiations on accession to the World Trade Organization. The issues of fulfillment by Azerbaijan of the legislation improvement plan in accordance with the WTO standards were in the focus.

As an active participant of the regional external economic initiatives, including the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Azerbaijan has drawn the attention of the partner countries to the obstacles to the regional cooperation arising from the protracted conflicts in the region, and also actively participated in the discussions to improve the effectiveness and interaction within the regional institutions. In the framework of its chairmanship in the ECO, Azerbaijan has contributed to the realization of a number of initiatives and organized several events within different fields of the Organization’s activity.

During the year, Azerbaijan continued to make its contribution to strengthening energy security on regional and global levels. Further to cooperation with the European Union in this field, the year marked the establishment of energy dialogue with the United States. In the context of providing effective and safe transport corridors connecting Caspian and Mediterranean basins, the subsequent development was made by the trans-regional pipeline infrastructure. Putting into operation the Turkey-Greece gas pipeline in 2007, creates additional opportunities for supplying Azerbaijani gas to the European markets.

In the framework of development of the “East-West” transportation corridor in the Caspian region, serious practical steps aimed at fulfillment of the strategically important project on construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway were taken in 2007.

Azerbaijan’s special role, experience accumulated by the country and its principal attitude to the issues of transparency in the extractive industries became the main reason for submitting the corresponding draft resolution to the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly. For the consolidation of a broad political support for this draft, a Group of Friends of the mentioned initiative was established within the UN at the suggestion of Azerbaijan.

A work on institutionalization of ties with the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations was continued. Special attention was drawn to strengthening of cooperation and coordination of activities between the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas. These and other issues were in the focus of attention during the first leaders forum of the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas and 11th congress or the Turkic states and communities which were held in Baky.

2007 was also marked by the further strengthening of bilateral relations. Of special importance in this process were the high-level visits to Germany, Georgia, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Russia, Romania, Tajikistan, France and Switzerland. Negotiations in various countries conducted by the heads of the foreign-policy office of Azerbaijan, numerous mutual visits on different levels, meetings of the joint intergovernmental commissions and working groups, including on the issues of border delimitation with the neighboring countries, as well as extension of contractual legal basis contributed to the deepening of bilateral relations. During the year the negotiation process continued to find an agreement on the draft Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, including the second summit of heads of the Caspian Sea littoral states held in Tehran which resulted in the adoption of the declaration.

In addition, Azerbaijan’s diplomatic presence was subsequently expanded with the establishment of embassies in Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Tajikistan, Check Republic and Sweden, as well as offices in Cuba and Mexico. At the same time Belgium, Jordan, Qatar, Cuba, Lithuania and Switzerland established their diplomatic missions in Azerbaijan.

Additional measures for the improvement of MFA infrastructure, development of normative-legal basis of the diplomatic service and consolidation of the human resources potential of its bodies were taken during the year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to improve its work with the public and made every effort in order to inform in a timely and comprehensive manner on the activity of the foreign-policy office of the country.