SENATE OF PAKISTAN PAKISTAN WORLDVIEW Report - 21 SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE Visit to Azerbaijan December, 2008 http://www.foreignaffairscommittee.org List of Contents 1. From the Chairman’s Desk 5 2. Executive Summary 9-14 3. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Delegation to Azerbaijan 17 4. Verbatim record of the meetings held in Azerbaijan: Meeting with Pakistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Group 21-24 Meeting with Permanent Commission of the Milli Mejlis for International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations 25-26 Meeting with Permanent Commission of the Milli Mejlis for Social Affairs 27 Meeting with Permanent Commission of the Milli Mejlis for Security and Defence 28-29 Meeting with Chairman of the Milli Mejlis (National Assembly) 30-34 Meeting with Vice Chairman of New Azerbaijan Party 35-37 Meeting with Minister for Industry and Energy 38-40 Meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan 41-44 Meeting with the Foreign Minister 45-47 Meeting with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan 48-50 5. Appendix: Pakistan - Azerbaijan Relations 53-61 Photo Gallery of the Senate Foreing Relations Committee Visit to Azerbaijan 65-66 6. Profiles: Profiles of the Chairman and Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 69-76 Profiles of the Committee Officials 79-80 03 Visit to Azerbaijan From the Chairman’s Desk The Report on Senate Foreign Relations Committee visit to Azerbaijan is of special significance. Azerbaijan emerged as an independent country in 1991 with the breakup of Soviet Union, along with five other Central Asian states. Pakistan recognized it shortly after its independence and opened diplomatic relations with resident ambassadors in the two capitals. Azerbaijan is the largest of the Trans-Caucus states in size and population. It is endowed with rich mineral and energy resources. It is a member of all the regional organizations as well as UN and the OIC. Pakistan has pursued a policy of close and fraternal relations with all the states in the region. Its membership of SCO is motivated by its desire to forge close economic and political relations and work for the stability in the region. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee visit to Baku was in return for an Azerbaijan parliamentarians visit to Islamabad in December, 2006; and reflected the mutual desire to promote and deepen bilateral relations. I trust, the report, as the previous ones, will constitute a useful addition to literature on Central Asia, and welcomed by analysts, researchers and those interested in the affairs of the region. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed 05 Visit to Azerbaijan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A delegation of 9 Senators of the will always remember Pakistan's offer Senate Foreign Relations Committee of military assistance for the visited Azerbaijan from 6th to 10th liberation of Azerbaijan’s occupied July, 2008, on the invitation of the lands and its support in the UN on Azerbaijan Parliament. During its visit the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. The the delegation called on the President hoped that the visit of the President, the Prime Minister and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman of Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan. delegation would further strengthen The delegation held meetings with relations between the two countries. the Minister of Foreign Affairs, He invited Pakistan to send a Minister of Industry and Energy, the delegation to monitor the Presidential Permanent Commission of the Milli Elections in Azerbaijan scheduled for Mejlis for International and Inter 15th October 2008. Parliamentary Relations of Milli Mejlis, Members of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Friendship Group, Permanent leader of Pakistan Senate delegation Commission of the Milli Mejlis for stated that coming to Azerbaijan was Social Affairs, Permanent like home coming. The two countries Commission of the Milli Mejlis for had consensus on many issues and Security and Defence and Vice Pakistan-Azerbaijan solidarity was a Chairman of the New Azerbaijan source of strength. In spite of the Party. changes of governments in Pakistan, the position on Nagorno-Karabakh The first meeting of the delegation would not change. He said that was held with Pakistan-Azerbaijan countries which have visionary Friendship Group. Its Chairman, Mr. leaders like Quaid-e-Azam and Eldar Ibrahimov, welcoming the Heydar Aliyev were successful in delegation recalled that Pakistan was breaking the shackles of imperialism. one of the first countries to recognize He invited the New Azerbaijan Party Azerbaijan after its independence. to the International Conference of After the earthquake of October 2005 Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) to be in Pakistan, President Ilham Aliyev held in Islamabad on 24-26 October was the first leader to offer 2008. He also thanked the First Lady condolences to the President of of Azerbaijan for financing the Pakistan and the first Vice President building of a school in the earthquake of Azerbaijan visited Pakistan. Lady affected area of Azad Kashmir. Mehrban Aliyev, the First Lady of Azerbaijan, donated a school in the Senator Sardar Muhammad Latif earthquake affected area of Azad Khan Khosa conveyed greetings of Kashmir. The people of Azerbaijan Pakistan parliamentarians to the 09 Visit to Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Parliament. He said that percent of its population was below he was impressed with the 99% the poverty line and 20 percent of literacy rate of Azerbaijan and asked its population died in the Nagorno- as to how it was achieved. Senator Karabakh conflict. After indepen- Wasim Sajjad thanked for the warm dence, President Heydar Aliyev welcome and hospitality extended to started his reform programme the Pakistani delegation and referred through the Milli Mejlis, which to the commonality between the two passed 30-50 laws each year. He countries in terms of their struggle said that the work of this for freedom. There was some Commission was supervised by the commonality between the culture Chairman of the Milli Mejlis. and the language as well as common interests and shared values. The meeting between the Pakistan delegation and the Permanent The meeting between the Pakistan Commission of the Milli Mejlis for delegation and the Permanent Security and Defence was also held Commission of the Milli Mejlis for on 7th July 2008 at the Milli Mejlis. International and Inter Parliamen- The Chairman of the Commission tary Relations was held at the Milli stated that Pakistan and Azerbaijan Mejlis. Professor Samad Seyidov, were tied together in a strategic Chairman of the Commission, partnership besides many agree- thanked Pakistan for supporting ments on bilateral relations. He Azerbaijan on the Nagorno- recalled resolutions including one in Karabakh issue. Senator Mushahid the Council of Europe asking for Hussain Sayed thanked Azerbaijan withdrawal of Armenian troops from for supporting Pakistan’s principled Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan desired to stand on Kashmir while Pakistan resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue supports Azerbaijan on the Nagorno- by peaceful means and requested Karabakh issue. He said that both Pakistan to raise the issue of the countries were in complete Nagorno-Karabakh at the NATO cooperation on all issues and since Parliamentary Assembly meeting to March 2004, Pakistan has posted a be held in November 2008. military Attache in Baku. Mr. Asim Mollazada stated that on 14th March, Senator Mushahid Hussain stated 2008, India voted against Azerbaijan that Pakistan does not recognize at the UN on the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia because it was an issue. aggressor and Pakistan supports Azerbaijan on the Nagorno- Mr. Hadi Rajabli, Chairman of the Karabakh issue. He stated that Permanent Commission of the Milli defence cooperation between Mejlis for Social Welfare, informed Pakistan and Azerbaijan would be that Azerbaijan faced many reinforced since a fulltime Defence problems after its independence. 70 Attache had been posted in the 10 Visit to Azerbaijan Pakistan Embassy in Azerbaijan. in the political field but also to extend to economic and trade relations. In a meeting with Mr. Ogtay Asadov, Senator Mushahid Hussain stated that Chairman of Milli Mejlis of the two countries had three Azerbaijan, Mr. Ogtay Asadov stated similarities. Both Pakistan and that Azerbaijan delegation that Azerbaijan were victims of foreign visited Pakistan in 2006 came back aggression. Both democracies were very satisfied and happy. The economically vibrant and believed in relations between Pakistan and the supremacy of the ballot box. Both Azerbaijan were very deep rooted. countries had leaders like Quaid-e- He also recalled the speech of Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mr. President Musharraf to the Milli Heydar Aliyev, who trans-formed their Mejlis in 2004 where he said that respective countries. Mr. Ahmedov Pakistan was ready to provide even said that in these times, justice was military assistance to Azerbaijan. He based on the power of force but thanked Mr. Mohammedmian Azerbaijan was trying to solve the Soomro, Chairman, Senate of Nagorno-Karabakh issue peacefully. Pakistan for visiting Baku in June Senator Mushahid Hussain stated that 2008 for the 19th Independence Day it was due to oil politics. The West celebrations of Azerbaijan. He also had double standards, the UN thanked Pakistan for supporting resolutions on Kashmir and Nagorno- Azerbaijan and not recognizing Karabakh had not been implemented Armenia. Senator Mushahid Hussain while those on East Timor and Kuwait complimented Eldar Ibrahimov for were implemented. being the architect of Pakistan- Azerbaijan relations. He informed In their meeting with Mr. Natig Aliyev, the Chairman that a Conference on Minister of Industry and Energy, the Pakistan-Central Asia and Caucuses Minister stated that the 21st century is likely to be held either in was going to be a difficult century Islamabad or Baku. from the point of view of energy, food and environment. He informed that In the meeting between the last year Azerbaijan exported delegation from Pakistan, Vice 843,000 barrels of oil while this year Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party the figure would touch 1 million Mr.