Democracy development, main priority of Azerbaijan in CoE Committee
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan has set the development of democracy as main priority during its presidency over the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark at an international conference on November 7 on his country’s presidency over the Committee of Ministers of the CoE.
Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan has taken long steps for the development of the core values of democracy.
"The development of democracy is the main line of Azerbaijan's presidency. The country has also contributed to the fight against corruption and development of such areas as education and health," he said.
Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the committee started officially on May 14 and will end in November when the country is expected to hand it over to Belgium.
Mammadyarov further added that expanding dialog on religious and cultural issues were also among other priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
“Today the country has the fastest growing economy. Large oil reserves enable Azerbaijan to ensure energy independence of Europe," he said.
Mammadyarov went on to note that Azerbaijan became a donor state, assisting the African countries.
Further on, the minister touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which erupted back in 1988 over Armenia’s territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains still unresolved. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven regions are still under occupation,” Mammadyarov said.
He stressed that Azerbaijan would make great contribution to the general development of the region if the conflict is resolved.
Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council's four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
After its presidency over the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, Azerbaijan will pass it to Belgium in Strasbourg on November 13. Then, Azerbaijan's foreign policy head will report on the works done under the country’s chairmanship in the organization.