Domestic

Home page

Domestic

Elmar Mammadyarov calls on international community to support GUAMâ€™s position on the settlement of conflicts

30 November 2007 14:46 (UTC +04:00)

Elmar Mammadyarov briefed the participants about integration processes within GUAM, the organizationâ€™s role and view on the problems. The minister mentioned that GUAM was established 10 years ago and Azerbaijan is now chairing the organization.
â€œWe have united for the sake of our common problems and our aim is to create favorable opportunities for political and economic development of our countries. Development and prosperity are accompanied by economic processes and trade turnover among our countries is increasing. GUAM plays an important role in energy security and diversification of resources. GUAM countries also actively participate in establishing transport corridor between Europe and Asia. We are actively working on improving this corridor, which is an important component of the international transportation system. So, we can say that GUAM contributes much to the development of the region. But development and prosperity is impossible without stability. Thatâ€™s why, GUAM countries fight against terrorism, organized crimes, smuggling of drugs and firearms and trafficking. GUAM contributes gradually to the expansion of stability and security in Eurasian region. But conflicts-Nagorno Karabakh, Dnestryan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the territories of member-states impede development of GUAM. Absence of control of central government in occupied regions paves the way to terrorism, organized crimes, illegal economic activity,â€ he said.
Mr. Mammadyarov stated that there is no place for occupation, ethnic cleansing, aggressive nationalist policy in modern world, as well as OSCE region.
â€œOur unique position on the settlement of the conflicts is to ensure respect to the principle of territorial integrity and return of refugees to their native lands. This position is based on international law and reflected in the resolutions of UN Security Council, OSCE decisions. We believe that it is the best way for the solution to the conflicts and we call on the international community to support this position and contribute to the restoration of OSCE basic values,â€ he said.
Mr. Mammadyarov expressed his gratitude to Miguel Angel Moratinos, Foreign Minister of Spain outgoing OSCE chairman and greeted new chairman-Foreign Minister of Finland Ilkka Kanerva. He also expressed his condolences to Turkish nation on plane crash in Turkey. /APA/