ALIYEV CONSIDERS RELATIONS OF HIS COUNTRY WITH RUSSIA TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE
Regnum, Russia
May 23 2006
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that his country’s
relations with Russia have been developing constructive for the last
time; he made the statement on May 23 at a news conference of GUAM
leaders in Kiev, commenting on relations between the two countries,
a REGNUM correspondent informs.
“If we remember practically the whole period of the 90s, so perhaps
most strained relations in the whole post-Soviet space were developing
between our countries,” Aliyev reminded. “There were then both
blockades and illegal arms trafficking at the price of billions into
Armenia, which occupied the Azerbaijani territory. Now, when it is
time to reconsider these processes, we have been trying to focus on
positive things since 2000. The tactic has produced the result and
there are no questions now, which could cause mutual dissatisfaction
between Russia and Azerbaijan. Commodities turnover has increased
twofold during the last two years.”
Also, Aliyev stressed that for Azerbaijan the GUAM is not an
organization against anybody; it means constructive activity aimed
at promotion of mutually beneficial projects. “New realities and
situations appear in Caspian-Black Seas region and we should be ready
for them. We will initiate ourselves and head reformation processes,
and we consider GUAM as means of effective political and economic
cooperation, development of democratic processes in our region. It
is inevitable, that is why we will actively develop the approach,”
the Azerbaijani president stressed.