AZERBAIJAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES COPIES OF CREDENTIALS FROM NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADORS

TREND
Feb 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 5 /Trend News/ The Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, received the copies of the credentials
from the newly appointed ambassadors of Yemen, Nigeria, Benin,
Republic of South Africa, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, the press
center of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told TrendNews.

Mammadyarov thanked the governments of Yemen and Nigeria for the
support to the fair position of Azerbaijan during the voting on the
adoption of the United Nations resolution on occupied territories
of Azerbaijan.

In March 2008 the United Nations adopted a resolution supporting
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

In their turn, Yemen ambassador to Azerbaijan Abdullah Al-Sallal and
Nigeria ambassador to Azerbaijan Abubekr Chika mentioned the necessity
to develop bilateral relations between the countries.

Nigerian Ambassador Abubekr Chika highlighted the importance to develop
bilateral relations between the countries in energy, education and
other spheres.

During the meeting with the ambassador of Benin – Ay Vissinto Almeida,
ambassador of the Republic of South Africa – Tebogo Seokolo, ambassador
of Vietnam – By Din Zin, ambassador of Zimbabwe – Pelekezela Mpoko,
ambassador of Sri Lanka – Mohammed Zuhair, Mammadyarov stressed an
interest in development of bilateral relations. Touching upon the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said that it can be solved only within
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting with the Vietnam ambassador, an agreement was
reached to organize bilateral visits of the Foreign Ministries of
Azerbaijan and Vietnam.