Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey are actively negotiating the establishment of a joint interparliamentary friendship group, the head of the interparliamentary friendship group Russia-Azerbaijan, member of Russia’s State Duma Dmitry Saveliev said.

He recalled that in addition to the Russia-Azerbaijan friendship group, a Russia-Turkey friendship group has been created, and both groups are working intensely and very fruitfully.

"I think that the tripartite group will also be established, this is a requirement of the time. Our countries are committed to cooperation," Saveliev said.

He went on to say that Azerbaijan and Turkey enjoy very strong relations, just like Azerbaijan and Russia, and in particular, Azerbaijan has done everything possible to resolve the situation when Russian-Turkish relations were extremely aggravated.

"In the light of these circumstances, the trilateral group, I believe, will be an exceptionally effective platform for discussing interstate issues and exchanging experience," Saveliev said.

Speaking about plans for cooperation within the Russia-Azerbaijan friendship group for the near future, he said that the trips of parliamentary groups, holding of joint meetings for discussion of topical issues of bilateral relations are planned.

At the same time, educational and enlightenment activity is a separate and one of the most important items of the cooperation, according to Saveliev.

In particular, large-scale actions are planned in Russian and Azerbaijani media with the purpose of informing citizens about the history and culture of the two states and the development of bilateral relations.

"Probably, the most important thing is the active position of parliamentarians-representatives of friendship groups between our countries, their work on establishing contacts between Russia and Azerbaijan at different levels certainly contributes to the intensification of the search for ways to resolve the Karabakh conflict peacefully," Saveliev added.

Earlier, the three countries expressed their will to create a new trilateral format which will serve as a ground for increasing trust between the neighboring countries.

The creation of trilateral format between Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey might impact the settlement of Karabakh conflict. Many analysts and experts suggest that the rapprochement between Russia and Turkey may reach high enough to affect Armenia as well. Against the background of a favorable political atmosphere, the significant progress can be made in Karabakh dispute.

For more than two decades Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of war following Yerevan’s aggression, ethnic cleansing policy and illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia keeps under control over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a brutal war in the early 1990s.

Despite a fragile ceasefire agreement signed in 1994, Armenia keeps violating armistice with Azerbaijan.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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