CHINA `DOES NOT FATHOM AZERBAIJAN` WITHOUT GARABAGH

AzerNews weekly
Sept 8 2009
Azerbaijan

08-09-2009 23:27:44 China`s ambassador in Baku, Zhang Yannian, has
said Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh is an integral part of Azerbaijan,
and the Chinese people do not think of the country without the region.

Addressing a function entitled, "Azerbaijan-China relations in the
context of modern regional geo-politics," held by the Strategic
Research Center on Friday, Yannian compared the Taiwan problem in
his country to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh.

"Unfortunately, there are still separatist entities in many
countries. Just as Upper Garabagh is an integral part of Azerbaijan,
Taiwan is a part of China," said Yannian.

The ambassador called on the Azerbaijani government not to forge
diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Further, Yannian noted that relations between Beijing and Baku,
established 17 years ago, have been deepening. Just in 2008, 12,400
people from China visited Azerbaijan. The number of Azerbaijanis
visiting China is about the same.

According to the diplomat, 15 major Chinese companies now operate in
the South Caucasus republic, and bilateral trade turnover amounted
to $800 million last year. The Asian state has channeled investments
worth $500 million into the Azerbaijani economy.

Yannian has acted as China`s ambassador to Azerbaijan since April
2009. In the 1990s, he was assigned to his country`s diplomatic
missions in Ukraine and Armenia. From 2004 to 2009 he worked as the
Chinese ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress