TURKEY: AZERBAIJANI, BULGARIAN PRESIDENTS ADDRESS BLACK SEA SUMMIT
Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
June 25 2007
["BSEC 15TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT – 20 PER CENT OF OUR TERRITORY IS
STILL UNDER INVASION, ALIYEV" – AA headline]
ISTANBUL (A.A) -25.06.2007 -Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan,
underlined that 20 per cent of their territory near Armenian border
was under invasion and one million Azarbaijani citizens were refugees
separated from their homeland and said this was a major injustice.
Taking the floor at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) 15th
Anniversary Summit Aliyev said majority of the countries member to
BSEC gained independence shortly before becoming members 15 years ago
and said concrete results were achieved since then through cooperation.
Aliyev indicated that Azerbaijan had to struggle with many problems
inherited from the past and said they had implemented many economic
and political reforms to reach the level they deserve.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan had large energy resources and pointed out
that these helped Azerbaijan to contribute to regional cooperation.
Aliyev drew attention to Azerbaijan’s partnership with Russia,
Turkey and Georgia and said Azerbaijan was part of three pipelines
one opening to the Black Sea and the other to the Mediterranean.
"Next year 1 million barrels of oil will be pumped through these
pipelines. This will be increased in the years to come. This year
Azerbaijan will become a natural gas exporting company," said Aliyev.
-UNRESOLVED CONFLICTS
Aliyev also pointed to the problems between BSEC member states that
gained independence after 1990 and said military interventions were
one of these.
"20 per cent of our territory between Azerbaijan and Armenia is still
under invasion and one million Azarbaijani citizens are refugees
separated from their homeland. This is unfair, this is truly a major
injustice. This is totally a violation of the rule of law, democracy
and human rights. Armenian forces have to withdraw from the area,"
underscored Aliyev.
Aliyev said they wanted the international norms and principles to
be implemented in the region and said they did not want any more
conflicts and problems.
-PRESIDENT OF BULGARIA PIRVANOV-
On the other hand Georgi Parvanov, President of Bulgaria, said priority
goal of BSEC should be fostering of relations with the EU.
Pirvanov stressed that, EU was an important economic partner to BSEC
member states and regarded the beginning of negotiation talks between
Turkey and EU, the study platform proposed by the European Commission
under the "Black Sea Synergy" title, were important developments
contributing to the growth of BSEC.
Pirvanov emphasized that the memberships of Bulgaria and Romania
brought new opportunities for the fostering of relations between BSEC
and the EU.