Statement
by His Excellency
Dr.Vilayat Guliev,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Dear Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we see off the last days of this century our present session gives
us another opportunity to take stock of our cooperation within EAPC and
PfP frameworks and to discuss its unique role for the Euro-Atlantic security.
Risks and threats that Euro-Atlantic community faces on the threshold
of the new millennium require our joint and adequate efforts without setting
geographic or other priorities and limits.
The value of practical cooperation between NATO and partner countries
to achieve goals of building a free and undivided Europe could hardly
be overestimated in this regard. The Alliance-led peace-support operation
in the Kosovo region to which Azerbaijan has contributed is undoubtedly
a vivid example of the genuine partnership.
The multiplicity and complexity of challenges that Euro-Atlantic security
encounters necessitates the elaboration and development of joint crisis
management capabilities. In the context of further evolution of the theory
and practice of the NATO-led peacekeeping operations in the whole Euro-Atlantic
area Azerbaijan welcomes further practical steps on the side of NATO to
complete work on implementation of the Political Military Framework. We
also appreciate progress achieved in realization of the Operational Capabilities
Concept.
In light of the recent visit by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to NATO
Headquarters I would also like to stress that Azerbaijan attaches importance
to the development of inter-institutional cooperation between NATO/EAPC
and OSCE. in particular in the fields of conflict prevention and crisis
management.
As it has been the case in the past. with regard to the future agenda
of EAPC, we reiterate our proposal to start discussing issues related
to conventional arms control in the EAPC framework on a more regular and
substantive basis. I presume that putting current problems in this field
on the EAPC agenda would help better utilize our forum's potential and
expertise as well as complement work done in other organisations and fora.
In this regard Azerbaijan commends efforts of the ad hoc group on the
challenges of Small Arms and Light Weapons whose success has highlighted
the necessity of reinvigorating the EAPC discussions on arms control topic
in general.
While aiming at progressive integration with NATO Azerbaijan intends to
join the Membership Action Plan. With this goal in mind we look forward
to having a suggested intensified bilateral dialogue with NATO.
Mr.Chairman,
Azerbaijan welcomes an increased interest of NATO to the region of South
Caucasus. A number of activities, including the seminar on energy security
in Baky have been held in the region as a follow-up to the work of the
EAPC ad hoc group on the South Caucasus.
In the meantime, unlike the Balkans. where substantial progress has been
made in bringing crises to the stage of comprehensive settlement. the
South Caucasus still remains the region of unresolved conflicts and undermined
security. In this context allow me to re-emphasize that only just, comprehensive
and durable settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
will restore mutual trust between these two states and consequently pave
the way to regional cooperation between all states in the South Caucasus.
In this respect we would appreciate if political, security related and
crisis management issues, as suggested by Azerbaijan, could win the understanding
in the group.
Due to its geographic location South Caucasus should serve as one of
the building blocks of the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. Allow
me to recall in this regard an initiative to develop Security and Cooperation
Pact for this region as proposed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Mr. Heydar Aliyev at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul in November 1999 and
to reiterate our appeal to all interested partners to participate in the
practical implementation of this idea.
With regard to the armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I regret
to report lack of progress in achieving its settlement, while twenty percent
of the territory of my country are still under occupation of armed forces
of Armenia and one million Azerbaijanis still cannot return to their homes.
Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Group continue to pay visits to the region. The
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia hold regular bilateral meetings with
the aim to find a formula of durable settlement. But. all these efforts
have not yet yielded concrete results.
Availing myself of this opportunity I would like to reconfirm the adherence
of Azerbaijan to a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the framework
of the OSCE Minsk Group on the basis of conferring the highest degree
of self-rule upon the Nagorno-Karabakh region within the Republic of Azerbaijan
and co-existence of Armenian and Azerbaijani populations there.
In conclusion, allow me to emphasize that Azerbaijan proceeding from
an assessment of the current situation in the South Caucasus counts on
a considerable contribution by NATO to establishing security and stability
in this vital region.
Thank you.
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