Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has paid an official three-day visit to the Middle East to discuss the strengthening of relations with the regional countries.

During the visit, Mammadyarov held high-level talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials within the context of the Middle East peace process and discussed the opportunities of expanding bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations, economic, trade and cultural relations with Palestine and Israel, the Foreign Ministry's press-service reported.

On the first day of his visit the Azerbaijani foreign minister met with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Maliki.

The Palestinian minister termed Azerbaijan as a friendly and brotherly country and pointed out that this visit would be an important step in furthering Azerbaijani-Palestinian relations.

The sides agreed to advance relations across various spheres and stressed the huge potential to enhance bilateral ties.

Al-Maliki noted that Azerbaijan has gained influence at international organizations, including the UN Security Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Non-Aligned Movement, and expressed gratitude for its huge support to Palestine.

Mammadyarov stated that Azerbaijan supports the restoration of peace in the region and will continue its support to Palestine.

He said Azerbaijan backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also underscored that Palestine has the right to become a full-fledged member of the international community and reaffirmed Azerbaijan's readiness to continue supporting Palestine in international organizations.

Speaking about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the minister stressed that by gaining strength through fast economic development, Azerbaijan will sooner or later be able to restore its territorial integrity.

On the same day, Mammadyarov met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

The Palestinian prime minister said that Palestine values and attaches tremendous importance to its ties with Azerbaijan. He also stressed the need to broaden cooperation in various fields.

Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan is interested to see the soonest solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Speaking about the prospects of expanding cooperation with Palestine in various fields, including humanitarian cooperation, Minister Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan is implementing a scholarship program for Palestinian students studying in Azerbaijan.

Mammadyarov briefed the Palestinian prime minister about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He emphasized that the conflict will find its fair solution within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

On the second day of his trip to the Middle East the Azerbaijani foreign minister met with Israeli officials in Tel-Aviv.

During Mammadyarov's meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, the Israeli president regarded Azerbaijan as a country with great potential and future and noted its dynamic development. Calling Azerbaijan a leading player in its region with its high-level tolerance, Peres shared great impressions about his visit to Azerbaijan in 2009.

Peres said this is an historic visit and praised Azerbaijan's firm stand against terrorism.

He expressed confidence that Azerbaijan would become a major player in its geopolitical region.

Peres also noted the high level of relations between the political establishment and the Jewish community of Azerbaijan.

Mammadyarov briefed President Peres about the regional developments, in particular, the peace process aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which emerged in 1988 over Armenia's territorial claims against Azerbaijan. He noted that Armenia has carried out a policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. He also emphasized that four UN Security Council resolutions concerning the conflict have not been implemented by Armenia.

The same day, during a meeting with Chairman of the Foreign Relations and Defense Committee of Israel's Knesset (parliament), Avigdor Lieberman, the parties discussed bilateral relations as well as prospects of cooperation within international organizations. The talks also focused on regional developments.

Regarding the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Minister Mammadyarov expressed confidence that the international community fully appreciates the necessity to change the current status-quo, which remains the main obstacle to regional development.

Mammadyarov noted that as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Azerbaijan is closely following the developments in the Middle East.

Lieberman hailed Azerbaijan as a stable and fast growing state, which has enabled it to turn into a reliable partner of the international community.

During the talks the parties also touched on the prospects of strengthening tourism and inter-parliamentary cooperation.

The Azerbaijani delegation led by Minister Mammadyarov visited Israel and Palestine on April 21-23.