FRENCH SENATOR: REGIONAL LEADERSHIP MUST BE PRIORITY FOR AZERBAIJAN
Today
s/64268.html
March 17 2010
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a stable country, but it is situated in a dangerous
region. It is necessary to achieve regional leadership of Azerbaijan
for the stability in the Caspian region, the French Senate upper
chamber senator Nathalie Goulet said in Baku.
"The cooperation with Europe can be useful for Azerbaijan. But first,
the leadership in the Caspian region is required", Goulet said at
the Center of Strategic Research under the Azerbaijani President.
The topic of discussion at the debate in the Center on Wednesday was
"Azerbaijan as a stable state of the Caucasus and the Middle East."
Goulet considers it important to strengthen cooperation within the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly to enhance stability in the South Caucasus
and the Caspian region.
"Azerbaijan can play an active role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,
not being NATO member," the French Senate inter-parliamentary
friendship group "France – Russia" member, the NATO PA Economic
Commission member, Goulet said.
These two organizations – NATO and NATO PA are not related to each
other, she said.
Similarly, Azerbaijan can be part of Europe, not being the EU member.
This will give advantages for cooperation and eliminate all the
difficulties associated with the European zone, periodic summits and
other routine events associated with membership.
Goulet highly appreciated the active diplomatic policy of Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev.
It is important to maintain the country’s image, she said.
During the debates the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
which began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against
Azerbaijan was also raised.
Goulet also condemned the policy of double standards, by stressing
that the double standards, unfortunately, are a reality today, and
not only towards Azerbaijan.
Even if French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted Armenian counterpart,
it does not mean that Sarkozy has sacrificed the principles of the
OSCE Minsk Group, within which the peace negotiations are being held.