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By Trend

Recognition of Azerbaijan as a country pursuing independent policy, with its views on global political processes and the system of international relations, ensured the growth of the prestige of Azerbaijan and the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral relations, MP Nagif Hamzayev, a member of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union said.

The MP noted that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, thanks to the all-round development of Azerbaijan, strengthening of its economic potential, independent foreign policy, the head of state improved a favorable external environment around the country and took the relations with leading countries based on mutual trust - to a new level.

"The opinions expressed yesterday by President Ilham Aliyev when accepting the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan and Greece to Azerbaijan also confirmed that Azerbaijan's foreign policy is based on national interests, partnership, mutual cooperation, and maintaining stability and security in the region," the MP said.

At the same time, successful foreign policy pursued in Azerbaijan, which has become unique for cooperation, the principles of equal and mutually beneficial cooperation without prejudice to national interests have brought both political and economic dividends to the country, Hamzayev said.

The MP pointed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Greece, when Azerbaijan re-gained its independence, noting that since then, the relationship took the sustainable development path, and has reached the level of partnership, marked by many important events.

"Azerbaijan attaches particular importance to the development of relations with Greece, which has an ancient history and culture. However, since the previous government of Greece came to power, cold relations have developed between the two countries. This didn't happen because of Azerbaijan," said the MP.

"President Ilham Aliyev, who is a diplomat by profession, knows diplomatic rules at a high level and always follows them, spoke frankly with the Greek Ambassador," Hamzayev said.

"One of the factors complicating Azerbaijan's relations with Greece is the contradictory and conflicting relations between Greece and our country's strategic ally, brotherly Turkey. President Ilham Aliyev said that we do not hesitate to support Turkey and will support it in all cases. We see the same support from our Turkish brothers. They support Azerbaijan on all issues, and we support them on all issues, including intelligence in the Eastern Mediterranean," said the MP.

"I want you to know our position. This position has already been officially communicated by the Azerbaijani government on my instructions. I can tell you again that Turkey is not only a friendly but also a brotherly country for us and the Turkish people are our brothers. So we will be with them in all matters," said the president of Azerbaijan.

While Azerbaijan protects its relations with Turkey from negative influences in the establishment and development of political relations with Greece, Greece's military cooperation with Armenia and Cyprus is a matter of concern, Hamzayev pointed out.

"Armenia is a country that has occupied our territories. It has committed an act of genocide in Khojaly, made one million Azerbaijanis homeless, destroyed our historical, cultural and religious monuments, carried out a policy of ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories, is violating international law and does not comply with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and other organizations. In fact, two years ago, the European Union and Azerbaijan initialed a document called “Partnership Priorities”. In that document, the European Union unequivocally supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized borders," said President Aliyev.

These views of the country's president will allow the relatively new government of Greece to reconsider the policy of the previous government towards Azerbaijan, Hamzayev believes.

"It should be noted that the Greek ministers who visited Azerbaijan at various times expressedconcern with the non-fulfilment of UN resolutions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by Armenia," he said.

"We believe that the new government of Greece will also be interested in the intensive development of relations between our countries and fruitful cooperation," Hamzayev said.

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