HAFIZ PASHAYEV: "GEORGIA HAS A RIGHT TO SETTLE THE ISSUE OF ITS CIS WALKOUT INDEPENDENTLY"

Today.Az
13 August 2008
Azerbaijan

Decision to leave CIS is Georgia’s own business, said deputy
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Hafiz Pashayev, according to
Interfax-Azerbaijan.

"Each country has a right to take a decision independently", said
Pashayev Wednesday, commenting on the decision of President Mikhail
Saakashvili to leave CIS.

According to the diplomat, such a decision is adopted on the basis
of discussions on the high political level and "probably Georgia’s
decision should also be approved by the parliament".

Commenting on the recent developments around South Ossetia, Pashayev
confirmed Azerbaijan’s support to territorial integrity of Georgia.

"As it was announced earlier, we support the territorial integrity of
Georgia. We have always considered this principle the most important
and we are confident that it should be the key one in the international
relations", noted the Deputy Minister.

The diplomat noted that events in South Ossetia should underline for
the world society the need for the soonest resolution of all conflicts
in the region, including Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

It should be noted that an international conference "Azerbaijanis
and Americans, as we see each others" opened in the capital of
Azerbaijan. It is organized by the diplomatic academy of Azerbaijan,
led by H.Pashayev. Events in Georgia are one of the main topics of
discussions at the conference.