Table of Contents I. Extraordinary Meeting of Turkic Council Members
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FEBRUARY 2020 BULLETIN H I G H L I G H TS O F T H E F O R E I G N P O L I C Y OF T H E R E P U B L I C O F A Z E R B A I J A N Table of contents I. Extraordinary Meeting of Turkic Council Members 2 II. Azerbaijan Parliamentary Elections 3 III. Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan held a public debate in Munich Security Conference 4 IV. The International Conference “IDP Women’s Call for Justice: Addressing Their Needs in Peace and Security Agenda”, organized by the AIR Center 5 V. Italy-Azerbaijan Relations 6 2 Council – Uzbekistan, Kyrgysztan is I. Extraordinary Meeting of Turkic planning to be the part of huge railway Council Members project with China. This railway project On 6 February 2020, an extraordinary could potentially be the key piece in the meeting of the foreign ministers of the central route connecting China with Iran- Turkic Council member countries was Turkey-Europe. As Azerbaijan is held in Baku. Participants discussed the implementing significant transport and relationship between the Turkic Council railway projects and gaining the interest member countries as well as the of China, the foreign ministers also cooperation with non-member discussed the possibility of creating more countries. They also focused on ways of opportunities for Kyrgyzstan to become empowering the Turkic Council, involved in regional transport corridors strengthening the administrative basis of by developing railway projects. its Secretariat, alongside discussing long- Further, Mr. Mammadyarov met with his terms strategies of the Council that counterpart from Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz entails the initiation of Turkic Investment Kamilov. They focused on the Fund (TIF), Turkic Trade Houses (TTH), partnerships in economy, trade, and etc. The Ministers also committed to transportation, and culture. Two a strategic program on long-term goals countries already have close of the Organization based on Turkic relationships which have developed into Vision 2025. the level of strategic partnerships in On the margins of the event Mr. Elmar recent years. Especially, Uzbekistan’s Mammadyarov, the Foreign Minister of stance on Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict the Republic of Azerbaijan, held number was obvious from the first of day of of bilateral meetings. On 5 March he met conflict. Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov with Baghdad Amreyev, the Secretary thanked Mr. Kamilov for Uzbekistan’s General of the Cooperation Council of principled position in the international Turkic-Speaking States. During the arena on Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. meeting, Mr. Mammadyarov and Mr. Additionally, there was a meeting Amreyev discussed the agenda for the between Mr. Mammadyarov and his meeting of the foreign ministers of the Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu. Turkic Council member countries. The parties emphasized the close During the meeting with Chingiz relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey Aydarbekov, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the importance of these two of the Kyrgyz Republic, the sides countries’ participation in the regional discussed bilateral relations and ways to projects. Mr. Mammadyarov also strengthen these relations. Together updated Mr. Cavusoglu about the with another member of the Turkic meeting with the Armenian foreign Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 3 minister in Geneva. parties) were registered in the race for 125 seats in the Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis. Before the meeting of the foreign The opinions of international observers, ministers, Mr. Cavusoglu was received by such as BSEC PA, CIS Observation President Aliyev and awarded with the Mission, TURKPA, Observation Mission “Dostlug” Order for his special services of the GUAM Parliamentary Assembly, rendered by the strengthening of OIC Election Observation Mission, and friendship and cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic the European Union spoke positively of Turkey. about the entire election process, including the OSCE ODIHR, which Only a few days before this meeting, compared to previous years along with the Turkish citizens demonstrated a more balanced and Azerbaijani citizens were also safely objective view. Azerbaijan is evolving evacuated to Turkey from China due to and the mood of its population is positive the coronavirus outbreak. and elated. Concerning the elections, the II. Azerbaijan Parliamentary government of Azerbaijan, Ministry of Elections Foreign Affairs released a statement containing the following: On 9 February 2020, snap elections took place to the Milli Mejlis (Parliament) of The highest number of registered the Republic of Azerbaijan. candidates in the elections so far - 1314 candidates - have been running for the 9 February became important date in parliament and this indicates the Azerbaijan as the country chose its new comprehensiveness and fairness of the parliament. The voting was conducted in candidate registration process, as well as 5,573 polling stations and 50 per cent of the competitive electoral environment. the candidates were under 40 years old. The elections were also marked by such The elections were also widely covered moments as a significant increase in the and 132 foreign media outlets from 47 number of registered women candidates countries observed and covered the compared to the previous elections, elections. 900 international observers ensuring broad pluralism with the from 59 international organizations and representation of candidates from 19 78000 local observers representing political parties (mfa.gov.az, 02/2020). political parties and civil society were accredited to monitor the parliamentary It should be recognized that the IEOM elections. 1314 candidates report also recognized that “The election (independents and representatives of 19 administration was well resourced and Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 4 met legal deadlines, and the Central at the Davos Forum, but the Armenian Election Commission made concerted leader decided not to attend the efforts to act transparently and was discussion at the last moment. In this welcoming towards international type of conflicts, it is important to bring observers.” Additionally, the the sides together and create platforms government of Azerbaijan noted that the for them to discuss the issues before the vast majority of reviews from observers international community. However, this were positive. In a meeting between fact demonstrates that Armenian side Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and tried to keep the status-quo by avoiding the head of the CIS observation mission, discussions and not joining these kinds of “It was emphasized that all conditions events, while the Azerbaijani side seeks a had been created in Azerbaijan for peaceful solution to the conflict and conducting these elections in a fair and believes discussions facilitate the conflict democratic environment (president.az, resolution. 02/2020).” During the debate over the historical Azerbaijan is experiencing a very status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region transformational phase in its history and of Azerbaijan, President Aliyev gave a the election of a new parliament is just solid historical background of the the logical continuation of the region’s history and its relationship to evolutionary reform process of the Azerbaijan. Mr. Aliyev encouraged the country. audience to check the facts, to affirm the validity of his statements. President Aliyev also spoke of Armenian aggression towards Azerbaijanis living in Armenia, III. Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan who were forcefully deported in 1987- held a public debate in Munich 88. He also stressed that Armenian Security Conference troops perpetrated ethnic cleansings On 15 February 2020, Ilham Aliyev, against the Azerbaijani people in the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, occupied Azerbaijani lands, such as in the and Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of case of the Khojaly genocide of 26 Armenia, held a public debate during the February 1992. Munich Security Conference. It was the first public discussion between the two There was a debate over the UN Security countries’ leaders on Armenia- resolutions as well, while the Prime Azerbaijan conflict in 30 years. Minister Pashinyan tried to misinterpret these resolutions (822, 853, 875, 884). Firstly, President Aliyev mentioned that However, Mr. Aliyev stressed that the several years ago there was an UN Security Council as the highest opportunity to hold a first public debate international body demanded “withdraw Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 5 their troops immediately and conference was another step towards unconditionally from the occupied highlighting the necessity to protect territories”. President Aliyev mentioned more women from violence and that Azerbaijan expects the OSCE Minsk sufferings during the conflicts, alongside Group Co-chairs and other international achieving greater involvement for actors to put pressure on Armenia to women in dealing with the respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity consequences of the conflicts and and act accordingly. conflict resolution. President Aliyev concluded the debate: The UN Resident Coordinator in “Armenian people self-determined Azerbaijan Ghulam Isaczai stressed “UN themselves, they have Armenian state. Security Council Resolution 1325 My advice: to find another place on