NATO HQ 8 Nov. 2006	Opening statements by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Ambassador Novak of Poland, Dean of the Council and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan News President of Azerbaijan addresses NATO Council Opinion Opening statements in the Council wmv/4998KB MP3/3083kb De Hoop Scheffer:  Very good morning.  Bonjour à tous.  Let me begin by extending of behalf of the North Atlantic Council a very warm welcome to our distinguished guest President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan.  Mister President, it is a pleasure to have you once again in our midst and we're looking forward to a fruitful discussion with you this morning.  And I'm sure it will be a fruitful discussion on the basis of the very interesting bilateral meeting we've already had. Mister President, NATO's partnership with Azerbaijan has been solid and successful over more than 10 years now.  Azerbaijan is a particularly active participant in our partnership activities and makes welcome and important contributions to the NATO-led operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan.  With the Individual Partnership Action Plan that was concluded last year, we have taken our partnership to an even higher level of cooperation and political dialogue.  The Individual Partnership Action Plan is so important because it is not just a program of cooperation, but also a roadmap for Azerbaijan's adaptation to Euro-Atlantic standards, norms, values and institutions.  As we assessed together in March of this year, considerable progress has been made in implementation of the IPAP.  But you will agree with me that there also remains a great deal of important work to do.  I know that Allies will be very interested in your vision, Mister President, on how to take further steps ahead in the key issues covered by the IPAP such as defence reform, democratic institution building and democratic control of the armed forces and also in your views on the critical regional security issues in the South Caucasus.  Mister President, once again, you're welcome.  And before offering the floor to you for your introductory remarks, let me turn to Ambassador Novak of Poland, the dean of the North Atlantic Council to welcome you to the Council on the behalf of the Allies.  Ambassador Novak, please. Novak:  Thank you very much, Mr Chairman. I would like, speaking as the Dean, to welcome you Mister President as the representative of an important NATO partner.  We would like to say that your presence, we welcome the President of Azerbaijan who have commended your role in the Caucasus and in the efforts of your country to dialogue on regional security concerns as well as for all the efforts your country and you personally, President, are making in a struggle against terrorism and destabilization of the region.  In particular, we welcome those steps in this field, in this field which is so close to our heart.  I'd like now to say a few words as the representative of Poland because (inaudible). De Hoop Scheffer:  Ambassador, would you agree that now pass the floor to President Aliyev and then I'll ask the press to leave and that we then have our discussion around the table.  If you agree then that would be my proposal for the rest of the procedure.  Thank you very much, Ambassador, for your introductory words.  May I now ask you, Mister President, to take the floor for your introductory remarks? Aliyev:  Thank you very much.  Dear Mr. Secretary General, dear ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm very glad to be here again to discuss important issues of NATO-Azerbaijan relationship and regional security.  This morning, we had a very profound and interesting discussion with Mr. Secretary General on the issues of bilateral relations, regional cooperation, regional security, energy security.  And we are unanimous in our approaches to these issues.  Azerbaijan is playing an important role in the region.  Azerbaijan is a country which for more than a decade is working with NATO very closely in the framework of the Partnership for Peace Programs’ Individual Partnership Action Plan.  We participate in peacekeeping operations around the world.  And as a country which is now rapidly a developing country, of course, our capabilities are growing.  Euro-Atlantic integration for us is a very important element of our foreign policy.  Yesterday, I spent the whole day discussing with the leadership of the European Union of our bilateral relations, new neighbourhood policy of EU talks in South Caucasus is to start next week.  At the same time, yesterday, a memorandum of understanding on the Strategic Energy Partnership Relations between EU and Azerbaijan was signed.  These issues are inter-related.  And of course, we need to address these issues jointly.  There are new challenges in the region, new tasks, new agenda.  And I'm sure that a future cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan on the bilateral level between member countries in Azerbaijan will continue successfully and this cooperation will lead to very serious political, economic, social reforms in Azerbaijan as well as the reforms of our armed forces.  Thank you very much. De Hoop Scheffer:    Mister President, thank you very much indeed.  May I now ask the representatives of the press to leave the room so that we can start our closed session.