Defense Ministre Meets EU Special Representative On South Caucasus
Azerbaijan, DemAz.org
July 22, 2006
Defense ministre of Azerbaijan, colonel-general Safar Abiyev met
with the EU Special Representative on South Caucasus Peter Semnebey,
21 July. Azerbaijan is actively cooperating with the EU security
structures after regaining its state independence, the Minister
said. Some states have artificially created the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict to hamper this process. Minister Abiyev updated on economic
achievements of the Republic despite the war with Armenia, the current
status of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and
also touched the EU-Azerbaijan relations. Touching upon the refugee
problem in Azerbaijan, Mr. Semnebey said the European Union would
certainly interfere this problem. The EU offers peaceful solution to
the problem, he stressed. We adhere creation of mutual trust between
the sides. ‘Armenia feels negative results of its military aggression
against Azerbaijan. And accepts it as the key reason of staying out
of the regional economic projects’. Safar Abiyev stated that Armenia,
on one hand, has occupied the lands of Azerbaijan, and on other hand,
tries to create mutual trust. ‘We do not believe it. Armenia should
withdraw its troops from the occupied areas, the refugees return
to their homelands and the infrastructures at the mentioned areas
be restored. Then we can speak on mutual trust. The problem should
be solved in the frame of the principles of international law and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan’. Touching the Azerbaijan-NATO
links, the Defense Minister said it goes ahead in the frame of the
Plan of Activity for Individual Partnership. Azerbaijan observes all
the legal principles in its relations with foreign states. The same
should be demanded fromm the aggressor, he said.