Azerbaijan plays a stabilizing role in the region and the initiatives put forward by the country aim at the strengthening of security and stability, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.
President Aliyev made the remarks addressing the opening ceremony of the Fifth Global Baku Forum titled “The Future of International Relations: Power and Interests”, which kicked off in Baku March 16, APA reported.
The president said that holding of this forum has already become traditional.
He welcomed all the participants, who represent more than fifty countries at the forum, and more than two hundred sixty guests, noting that the Nizami Ganjavi International Center is operating very effectively.
“Each forum is important and has an impact on the decision-making process in the world. We have among our guests more than 40 acting and former presidents and parliament speakers,” said Ilham Aliyev.
The president recalled that Azerbaijan has already hosted a number of international events.
“Azerbaijan continues to organize international events where important issues are discussed,” he said.
President Aliyev underlined the importance of regional and global projects implemented by Azerbaijan that marked the 25th anniversary of its independence last year.
The Azerbaijani president went on to say that since the last Baku Global Forum meeting, the world didn't become safer.
“We still witness the ongoing threats in our region. Azerbaijan plays a stabilizing role in the region and the initiatives put forward by the country aim at the strengthening of stability and security,” he said.
He said there are still challenges, wars, conflicts, the migrant crisis, and it is a big humanitarian catastrophe.
"At the same time, the migrant crisis also leads to, I would say, less understanding between different parts of our world. It creates certain discomfort for the people of the countries where the migrants are heading. But, this is only the consequence of what happened, because the real reason of this crisis is external political and military interference into internal affairs of these countries," he said.
The president went on to say that the migrant crisis wasn't happening five or ten years ago, it happened recently.
"So this is the consequence of, I'd say, not a very thoughtful policy towards the countries of the Middle East. And this, in turn, leads to radicalization of societies of the countries where the migrants are heading," said Ilham Aliyev.
He went on to say that unfortunately, the most attractive slogans in election campaigns are slogans very close to nationalism and anti-migrant sentiment.
"We witnessed it during last months, years. And this is the tendency. I think one of the most important issues on global agenda is to reverse this tendency backwards. More to cooperation, mutual understanding, mutual respect, rather than alienation, political confrontation and lack of dialogue of civilizations," Azerbaijan's president said.
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