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International conference on "The Azerbaijan-Turkey-U.S. Relations and Its importance for Eurasia" held in Washington

11 December 2007 09:40 (UTC +04:00)

The conference was organized by the Center for Eurasian Policy (CEP) of Hudson Institute, the Azerbaijan-Turkey Business Association (ATIB), and the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute (CACI) at Johns Hopkins University-SAIS. Representatives of political and business elite of the three countries participated in the conference.
Eurasian geopolitics, areas of cooperation, energy security and the South Eurasia corridor were debated in the conference.
Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, spoke about Azerbaijanâ€™s historical role in the region. He stated that a democratic, developing, prosperous, and stable Azerbaijan will serve as an example to Central Asia. Daniel Fried said Azerbaijanâ€™s success can be as critical for Central Asia as Polandâ€™s success was 15 years ago to Central Europe.
â€œAzerbaijan will provide an example to inspire aspiring reformers in Iran, whose 17 million ethnic Azeris comprise one-quarter of Iranâ€™s population,â€ he said.
â€œOne huge benefit for the region, and a huge achievement for the US-Azerbaijan-Turkey partnership, is the physical and economic manifestation of the development of a Southern Corridor to Europe for natural gas. This will require the US, Azerbaijan, and Turkey to work together to attract gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan,â€ Assistant Secretary said.
Azerbaijanâ€™s gas reserves should be sufficient to launchâ€”and perhaps completeâ€”a new generation of natural gas pipelines that will link Southern and Central Europe with the Caspian Basin via Turkey, providing several of our European Allies with a viable alternative to a monopoly transport system and a closed investment climate, Mr. Fried said.
Asim Mollazade, Chairman of Azerbaijanâ€™s Democratic Reforms Party, addressing the conference, focused on the new area created by Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region.
â€œJoint security, economic and common market projects are being realized in that region. These projects also should give an impetus to raising level of education of people. Azerbaijan should not only rely on energy resources, but also human factor while acceding to Euro-Atlantic,â€ he said.
Ahmet Erentok, the chairman of board of Azerbaijan-Turkish Businessmen Society (ATIB) touched upon development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Azerbaijan.
â€œWorks should be done with Congress for eliminating unjust amendment #907. Congress should put an end to that law before George Bush freezes execution of that document,â€ he said.
Ahmet Erentok said that it is time to put up resistance to policy pursued by Armenian Diaspora against the two countries.
â€œSuch conferences will become traditional. Second international conference will be probably held in Baku next year,â€ he said.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Hikmet Ã‡etin, former Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Ã‡evik Bir (Ret.), Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the United States Nabi Åžensoy, vice-speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Valeh Alasgarov, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Hafiz Pashayev, Azerbaijani ambassador to US Yashar Aliyev, Consul General of Azerbaijan to Los-Angeles Elin Suleymanov, chairman of the Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations, Parliament of Azerbaijan Samad Seyidov also participated in international conference "The Azerbaijan-Turkey-U.S. Relations and Its importance for Eurasia". Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza, Director of Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Johns Hopkins University Dr. Fred Starr, Director of Center for Eurasian Policy, Hudson Institute Zeyno Baran and others represented US in the conference. /APA/