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Elmar Mammadyarov: Occupation of Azerbaijani lands creates obstacles for the development, stability and progress in ECO region

22 December 2010 13:47 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Azerbaijanâ€™s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov issued a statement at the 19th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey, Foreign Ministryâ€™s press service told APA. Elmar Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan attaches special importance to the cooperation within the framework of this organization.
â€œWe are sure that the decisions passed during todayâ€™s meeting will be important steps for increasing the efficiency of the organization and its ability to reply to the challenges of the region. Taking into account that transportation is the major building element of cooperation within the framework of the organization and the initial condition for the development of the regional trade, we consider that it is important to increase the efforts for completing Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Gazvin-Rasht-Astara main regional railway projects that will be useful for the member states. To increase the transit potential Azerbaijan is trying to diversify and modernize the transport infrastructure that will serve the connection of Trans-European and Trans-Asian networks. Moreover, the construction of the new International Sea Trade Port and its logistic center will considerably increase the competitiveness of the international transport corridors and transit opportunities of the regional countries,â€ he said.

Elmar Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan is actively participating in the regional energy projects, which will play great role in the diversification of the transportation of the energy resources, reinforcement of the energy security and development of the economies of the countries involved in cooperation and ECO member states.
â€œDespite positive improvements in the Economic Cooperation Organization, we can not confine ourselves with these achievements and believe that we have not been able to use fully the current potential of the organization. To realize it fully the member states should continue carrying out reforms towards increasing the efficiency of the organization. We have achieved to turn the Economic Cooperation Organization into a totally matured organization, but, nevertheless, this organization must function effectively. For improvement of this situation, common and joint, as well as strong allegiance of member states is very important. Moreover, we must refrain from covering more spheres. Our practice shows that it is not so productive. Thus, our activity must be more centralized and projective. It especially concerns planning and realization periods. In addition, this policy must base on some priorities and be realized correspondingly to organized opportunities and limited sources. We are sure that prioritization of cooperation spheres, increase of productivity of working groups may stimulate effectiveness of the organization. From this viewpoint, Azerbaijan considers that legal and activity mechanisms of cooperation need to be improved. It is clear that we cannot carry out the abovementioned without making appropriate changes to working methods of our organization. We are sure that we must continue reform process for this purpose and note it as urgent issue of the agendaâ€.

Mammadyarov declared that social and humanitarian problems faced by the member states while accepting reform rules must be considered by the organization correspondingly: â€œReal regional cooperation cannot be discussed as long as instability continues to exist in the region. It is the biggest problem faced by our region and organization and it needs more decisive attempts. As you know, occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands by neighboring Armenia and existence of 1 million refugees and IDPs in the country creates obstacles for development, stability and progress of the ECO in the region. For this purpose, the organization and member states must increase decisive and continuous support for position directed to restoration of its territorial integrity and solution of the conflictâ€.