JANUARY 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. Meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers in Switzerland, Geneva 2 II. 30th Anniversary of Black January 3 III. World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 4 IV. Azerbaijan-EU Relations 5 2 Ministers agreed to meet again in the I. Meeting of Azerbaijani and near future under Co-Chairs’ auspices to Armenian Foreign Ministers in continue the discussions. Switzerland, Geneva Thus, the Geneva meeting did not On January 28-30, Foreign Ministers of produce any tangible progress and was Azerbaijan and Armenia held talks on the undermined, among others, by the resolution of the Armenia – Azerbaijan attempts of the Armenian side to change conflict with the mediation of the OSCE’s the format of the negotiations and to Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who, along with bring in the representatives of the so- Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”. Representative of the OSCE Chairperson- This proposal, which aimed to prolong in-Office, also met with the two negotiations and maintain the status- ministers separately. quo for an indefinite period of time, has The two days meetings, which lasted for been repeatedly rejected by Azerbaijan eleven hours in total (seven hours on and the Minsk Group. Azerbaijani leaders January 29, and four hours on January emphasize that, according to the 30), were one of the most founding documents of the OSCE’s Minsk comprehensive meetings between the Conference (1992), the elected and sides, as later the Foreign Ministry of other representatives from the Nagorno- Azerbaijan confirmed in its official Karabakh region will join the statement that “The meeting in Geneva negotiations only after a certain progress was marked with the most intensive is achieved between the sides. The fact discussions held between the sides over that the negotiations are currently in the the last years”. stalemate does not provide certain pre- conditions for the participation of those Following the meeting, the Co-Chairs representatives in the process. Hence, published a joint statement declaring the insistence of the Armenian that: firstly, Co-Chairs and Ministers government on the amendment to the discussed the implementation of negotiations format has no legal ground agreements and proposals raised in 2019 and serves only the goals which are and possible next steps to prepare the ultimately destructive for the peace populations for peace; secondly, the efforts. principles and elements forming the basis of a future settlement, in Another unconstructive move by the particular, the resolution of the Armenian side was made by the Prime Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict based on Minister Nikol Pashinyan himself. the requirements and principles of the Visiting the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh Helsinki Final Act, and lastly, the ways of region and the surrounding districts on furthering the settlement process. The the same days when the Foreign Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 3 Ministers were meeting in Geneva, On January 17, 2020, ADA University, Pashinyan showed disrespect to the together with the Ministry of Foreign peace efforts by the international Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, community. This, coupled with the commemorated the 30th anniversary of above-discussed developments, Black January. Hafiz Pashayev, Rector of demonstrate that the government in ADA University, Hikmet Hajiyev, Head of Armenia holds a position, in regard to the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the conflict, that is not different from Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration its predecessors. and Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke about the history of the Black January tragedy and its implications for the national unity of II. 30th Anniversary of Black January Azerbaijani people. On January 20, 2020, Azerbaijan Mr. Hajiyev pointed out that the commemorated the tragedy its people leadership of the Soviet Union targeted had to face thirty years ago when the to break the people’s faith in the Soviet military forces, violating the independence and the sovereignty of the international law and the Soviet Azerbaijani nation. The people killed that Constitution, invaded Baku in an attempt night were innocent civilians, seeking to suppress the national independence and demanding freedom and justice. For movement in the country. The invasion Mr. Hajiyev, this event was a crime which took place by the official order of against humanity and its initiators and Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of the executors must be punished. Mr. Hajiyev Soviet Union at that time, was carried also suggested that Mikhail Gorbachev out by involvement of 26,000 Soviet should be deprived of the Nobel Peace troops who opened fire on civilians Prize as he was one of the main without warning. perpetrators of this crime. The attack, resulted in the loss of 147 Mr. Mammadyarov addressed some of civilians and more than 700 hundred the allegations from Armenia on the people being injured, has been Sumgayit events of February 1988, by engrained in the memories of the stressing that the event was preceded Azerbaijani people and hailed as the and caused by the brutal expulsion of heroic story demonstrating the will of Azerbaijanis from Soviet Armenia in the Azerbaijanis for independence. 1987-88. Thousands of people pay tributes to the memory of the victims, by visiting the In the meantime, the Armenian Prime Martyr’s Lane, where they rest, on Minister, Nikol Pashinyan earlier stated January 20, named as Black January. that the events of January 20th were not planned against civilians, but rather Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 4 aimed at fighting “Azerbaijani several key areas including “How to Save nationalists.” In this statement, he tries the Planet, Society & Future of Work, to stress that radical groups were Tech for Good, Fairer Economics, Better protesting the Soviet government, thus Business, Healthy Futures, and Beyond endorsing the action of the Soviet army. Geopolitics” (WEF, 2020). The Human Rights Watch report entitled “Black January in Azerbaijan” states: As it was during previous years, Ilham “Indeed, the violence used by the Aliyev, President of the Republic of Soviet Army on the night of January Azerbaijan attended this year’s 19–20 was so out of proportion to the conference, including panel discussions resistance offered by Azerbaijanis as to and a significant number of panel constitute an exercise in collective discussions and personal meetings with punishment. Since Soviet officials have heads of state, and leaders of other stated publicly that the purpose of the organizations and company leaders. intervention of Soviet troops was to Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan Minister of prevent the ouster of the Communist- Economy, notes that “[Within the dominated government of the Republic framework of the forum] direct of Azerbaijan by the nationalist-minded, discussions related to the economies of noncommunist opposition, the various countries [were] held, and punishment inflicted on Baku by Soviet important investment projects [were] soldiers may have been intended as a presented; in brief, opinions [were] warning to nationalists, not only in formed and decisions [were] made at the Azerbaijan, but in the other Republics of bilateral and multilateral meetings the Soviet Union.” during the discussions, sessions…” (trend.az, 29/01/2020). As stated by President Aliyev, in a I. World Economic Forum Annual prelude to the WEFAM, the Azerbaijani Meeting economy has grown 80% between 2007 and 2019. Poverty levels have decreased The World Economic Forum Annual by more than four times, and Meeting (WEFAM) was held on January unemployment has decreased to 4.9% 21-24, 2020 in Davos-Klosters, (WEF, 01/18/2020). Additionally, in the Switzerland. The event was attended by Doing Business 2009 and 2019 reports 3,000 people, with representatives from Azerbaijan was twice recognized as a top business, government and international business-reformer country. In the Global organizations, as well as celebrities and Competitiveness Report released by the activists (qz.com, 21/01/2020). The World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan rose theme for this year’s event was to 35th (formerly 64th in 2006-2007) “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and among 137 countries in 2017-2018. In Sustainable World” which focused on Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] 5 2019, Azerbaijan came in second in the power. category of “Electricity access”, ranked third in terms of “Burden of government II. Azerbaijan-EU Relations regulation” and “Ease of hiring foreign On 21 January 2020, the final conference labour”, fifth in “Government’s of the EU-funded project “Support and responsiveness to change”, eighth in Strengthening Capacity of the WTO “Time to start a business”, and 10th in Department of the Ministry of Economy “Government long-term vision” The of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the WTO Azerbaijani leadership has been focused Accession Negotiations” was organized on governmental reforms, in efforts to by the EU delegation, DMI Associates stimulate the economy, and attract and Ekvita to present the activities foreign investment. As the government implemented and the results achieved of Azerbaijan continues to reform the by the project. Officials of the economy, it is expected that there will be Government of Azerbaijan, including an increase in foreign investment representatives of the Ministry of emphasizing the importance of the Economy and the Ministry of Foreign WEFAM, as a pathway to establishing Affairs, representatives of the European these connections.