Dawn, Pakistan
April 13 2005

Accord to boost political ties with Azerbaijan: Common stand on UNSC
expansion

Dawn.com 13/04/2005 20:40

ISLAMABAD, April 12: Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Tuesday voiced a
common stand on the UN Security Council expansion while President
Ilham Aliyev supported Islamabad’s efforts aimed at resolving the
Kashmir dispute with New Delhi for durable peace and security in the
region.

In formal talks, the two sides vowed to build on their ‘excellent’
political ties and develop sound bilateral trade and economic
cooperation through increased interaction between their private
sectors.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf and the visiting Azeri leader also
renewed a call for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. “We share views on the
expansion of UN Security Council,” Gen Musharraf remarked in
post-talks interaction with reporters.

Pakistan has been advocating against creation of new centres of
privilege at the Security Council. Mr Aliyev stressed the need for
resolving both the Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh disputes.

“Both the Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh disputes need to be addressed
and the international community owes a role in regard with
achievement of that end for sustainable peace and progress of the
region,” he emphasized.

President Musharraf expressed gratitude for Baku’s continuous support
on the Kashmir dispute and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unequivocal and
unstinting support for Azerbaijan on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Justice must be done and justice, we feel, is on the side of
Azerbaijan,” he said and added that Pakistan would support Baku on
all international fora. Mr Aliyev also backed Pakistan’s crucial role
in the fight against terrorism and underscored the need for the world
community to forge a common stand on addressing the menace of
extremism.

“Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s role in the counter-terror drive has been
crucial, but the entire international community should contribute to
these efforts as only by united efforts, can the world combat
terror,” he asserted.

He called for doing away with a contrasting international approach to
defining terrorism. “There should be a uniform criterion to define
terrorism.” Answering a question, the two leaders called for a
peaceful and negotiated settlement of Iran’s nuclear issue.

President Musharraf identified tourism, science and technology and
education as areas promising wider bilateral cooperation. “We have a
desire to strengthen our political relations and make them
broad-based, covering economic, education, tourism, trade and
culture. Pakistan looks forward to strong ties with brothers in
Azerbaijan.”

The private sectors of the two countries, he said, should identify
areas of collaboration and have increased bilateral interaction.
President Musharraf also said that Pakistan was open to cooperation
in defence training and production.

President Aliyev said Pakistan and Azerbaijan were brotherly
countries, which sincerely desired improved relations to the mutual
benefit of both peoples. He said Azerbaijan considered it important
to forge closer ties with Pakistan which, he added, had great
regional and international importance.

He said President Musharraf’s visit to Azerbaijan last year had
imparted a new strength to the bilateral ties. The two countries are
expected to sign agreements on Wednesday on communication,
information technology and education.