SLOVAKIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: "OUR COUNTRY APPROACHES NAGORNO KARABAKH FROM POSITION OF STATE SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY"

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
April 28 2008

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov has today received
Slovakian Foreign Minister and chairman of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers Jan Kubish.

According to Day.Az, Mamedyarov said at a press conference by results
of the meeting that the sides discussed bilateral relations between
Azerbaijan and Slovakia.

"Unfortunately, currently the bilateral cooperation is on the due
level. In this sense we exchanged views regarding the activity, which
would promote development of bilateral relations", said Mamedyarov.

According to him, the meeting participants discussed possible
cooperation in the sphere of transport, energy, investments and
development of inter-parliamentary relations.

Mamedyarov noted that the two countries have signed only 4 documents
and discussed consolidation of the legal basis of the bilateral
cooperation.

At the same time, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister noted that he had
informed his counterpart about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, a meeting
with the new Foreign Minister of Armenia to be held in Strasbourg on
May 6. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that he will also meet with
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Strasbourg.

In turn, Kubish noted that discussion of the bilateral cooperation
revealed the unused potential between the two countries, including
political visits and consultations, cooperation between the parliaments
of the two countries, as well as economic cooperation. He noted that
Slovakia is the most dynamically developing country in the European
Union and it outstrips them by 2-3 times.

"We have initiated discussions of definite spheres of potential
cooperation. Such spheres are energy, construction of railways and
other issues, including plans of the European Union, envisioning
energy security, diversification of energy supplies. It would all be
interested for the European Union and Slovakia", said Kubish.

Slovakian Foreign Minister noted that he received necessary information
about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and said it is necessary to work
further in this direction. At the same time, he stressed Slovakia’s
position on the conflict settlement. Kubish said that his country
adheres to the principle of state sovereignty and territorial
integrity.

Touching upon the cooperation of Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe,
Kubish said that the meeting participants discussed the coming
presidential elections and need for free mass medias.