Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 18 2009

Aligning with Europe is an important decision of Azerbaijani
government: UK Ambassador

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept.18. / Trend News T.Konyayeva /

The British Government considers the aligning with Europe as one of
the important decisions of the Azerbaijani government.

Speaking at the Center for the Strategic Studies under the Azerbaijani
President, Caroline Brown, British ambassador to Azerbaijan, said that
the United Kingdom (UK) is pleased to see Azerbaijan’s growing
integration into the international community and considers aligning
with Europe as one of the important decisions of the Azerbaijani
government.

According to Brown, one of principle directions of London’s foreign
policy towards Baku is the establishment of mutual trust.

"Azerbaijan is one of the UK’s leading partners. In 2005, exports from
Azerbaijan to the UK amounted to 4.2 million pounds sterling," the
ambassador said.

Azerbaijan is the second largest importer of the UK goods. "Relations
between the two countries are much wider and deeper than the ties at
the governmental level. These are the cultural ties and language,"
Brown added.

According to Brown, the main objectives of the British foreign
policy’s strategy is to fight against terrorism, to ensure
non-proliferation of nuclear arms and economic development at the
international and regional level, to prevent and resolve territorial
disputes, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The UK is
interested in rapid resolution of the conflict," the ambassador added.

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.