Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan believes that an independent Palestinian state must be established soon, with the capital in Eastern al-Quds (Jerusalem), President Ilham Aliyev said after hosting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Baku on Tuesday.

President Aliyev said in a media statement after the meeting that his country supports the Palestinian state in all international organizations. He said that during discussions at the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations, Baku stands by Palestine and this will continue to be the case.

"This is our stance and we defend it and will continue to do so in all international organizations," Aliyev said. "This is, on one hand, our fraternal duty, and on the other hand, this stance has formed on the basis of the norms of international law."

For his part, Abbas said Palestine and Azerbaijan face similar challenges, as both countries’ territories are under occupation.

"The UN has passed the known four resolutions concerning your country," he said. "These are resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, and all of them call for reaching peace.

"As for us, there are at least 15 UN decisions in place. These resolutions call for peace as well. But we are being patient and want to end our problems peacefully. We want to be able to benefit from this peace."

The Palestinian president’s two-day visit to Azerbaijan is being paid at President Aliyev’s invitation.

Mubariz Ahmadoghlu, the head of Azerbaijan’s Center for Political Innovation and Technology, says Abbas’ visit chiefly aims to secure Baku’s support for the recognition of the Palestinian state within its 1967 borders. According to the analyst, Palestinian officials are thus seeking to achieve the signing of a relevant document by world countries. Ahmadoghlu believes that Abbas will try to ensure that Azerbaijan promotes their cause on the world stage.

Moreover, he will seek Azerbaijani investments in Palestine, Ahmadoghlu said.

"It is also possible that Mahmoud Abbas will try to get Azerbaijan involved in Palestine-Israel talks as a mediator, because Azerbaijan has a clean record in both sides’ views, and neither side could rebuke it over anything. And this very visit personally by Mahmoud Abbas shows that more serious issues are involved. And those issues I would relate to investments and, more importantly, to mediation between the two sides [Palestine and Israel]."