Azerbaijan’s role in reconciliation between Ankara and Moscow - Aliyev (updated)

Azerbaijan played its role in the reconciliation of Turkey and Russia, said the head of state Ilham Aliyev at the Global Forum in Baku today. According to him, Baku always seeks to promote the normalization of relations between its neighbors. Azerbaijan pursues an independent policy, which is valued by its partners, and that is why the meeting of the heads of the US and Russian chiefs of staff was held recently in Baku. Touching upon the Karabakh conflict, he said that this conflict is a threat to regional security. Armenia is trying to maintain the status quo, although the heads of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries repeatedly stated about the need to change it, that is de-occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, he said.  "Armenia has occupied foreign territories and committed crimes against humanity, and therefore it must be punished and sanctions must be applied to it," Aliyev said. Speaking about relations with Europe, Aliyev expressed interest in cooperation with the European Union. "We have built strong relations with the European Union, and with nine EU members signed agreements on strategic cooperation," he said.  Instead of the Association Agreement with the European Union, Baku proposed signing a separate document on cooperation. Perhaps in the future it will be an agreement on strategic cooperation, Aliyev said. Further, he criticized the European countries for their treatment of migrants. The migration crisis in the world and in Europe is the result of ill-conceived policy towards the countries of the Middle East, or rather, military interference in the internal affairs of states. The migration crisis created problems for the countries of Europe, and on the other hand it became the reason for the growth of radicalism and nationalism, a negative attitude towards migrants. -02D-

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The Fifth Global Forum on the theme "The future of international relations: forces and interests" opened in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on March 16. The forum is attended by the presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Latvia - Raimonds Vejonis, Macedonia - George Ivanov, Albania - Bujar Nishani, Montenegro - Philip Vujanovic, Georgia - Georgi Margvelashvili, as well as Prince of Saudi Arabia Turki al Faisal.

In his speech, Ilham Aliyev said that the Baku Global Form was conceived with the purpose of propaganda of the Azerbaijani realities, acquiring new friends and forming a lobby, spreading the truth about Azerbaijan, its culture and history in the world.

Over the years of the Forum much has been done in this direction, and much remains to be done. -02D-