Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to Tokyo made a presentation at Citizen School think-tank at the invitation of Japanese MP from ruling Liberal Democratic Party Haruyasu Tateishi, AzerTag state news agency reported.

Gursel Ismayilzade is the first foreign diplomat to speak at "Citizen School", which was founded by Tateishi.

Japanese parliamentarians, businessmen, and public figures took part at the event.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador congratulated the audience on Tokyo`s winning the bid to host 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Ismayilzade said Baku was also one of the bidders for the 2020 Games, adding that Azerbaijan`s capital would host the inaugural European Games in 2015.

The Ambassador highlighted Azerbaijan`s history, domestic and foreign policy, and economic achievements, and said Azerbaijan had a stable political system due to the efforts of the country`s leadership.

The Azerbaijani diplomat hailed the effective economic reforms conducted under President Ilham Aliyev, adding that "a favorable investment atmosphere" had been created in the country.

Ismayilzade spoke of the presidential election held on October 9, 2013 in Azerbaijan, saying it was held in a free, fair, and transparent manner, and met international standards.

The diplomat said Azerbaijan enjoyed good cooperative relations with its neighbors - Turkey and Georgia-, adding that Azerbaijan and these counties played a key role in realizing important international projects.

He stressed that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict impeded overall development in the region, adding that Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan`s lands and made over one million people refugees and IDPs.

The Ambassador highlighted the history, reasons, and consequences of the conflict, as well as the current state talks to find a peaceful solution to the dispute.

He said because of the unconstructive position of Armenia`s authorities, the country has been excluded from regional integration processes.

The diplomat also spoke of Azerbaijan`s oil and gas projects, and the government`s efforts to develop the non-oil sector.

The Ambassasdor`s presentation also covered Azerbaijan`s accomplishments in foreign policy, with its focus on the country`s membership in the UN Security Council in 2012-2013.
On Azerbaijan-Japan relations, the Ambassador said the two countries had reached a good level of cooperation.

The diplomat also touched upon the January 20 tragedy, saying hundreds of innocent people were killed by the Soviet soldiers in Baku in 1990.

"The heavy-handed crackdown resulted in the indiscriminate killing of some 147 civilians with more than 700 injured and many others missing. During the tragedy, the courageous sons of the Azerbaijani people who stood up for their motherland's dignity, honor, and freedom became martyrs," he said.

He added that this year marked the 24th anniversary of the Black January tragedy, the military invasion and indiscriminate killing of civilians in the city of Baku by the Soviet troops on January 19-20, 1990.

Ismayilzade raised the audience's awareness regarding the Khojaly genocide committed by the Armenian armed forces on February 26, 1992, stressing that one of the most horrible tragedies which Azerbaijan experienced in the 20th century was the Khojaly genocide. "It is like the genocides committed in Khatyn, Lidisia, and Oradur."

"In the early hours of February 26, Armenia's armed forces, and Armenia's militants of the Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Motorized-Infantry Battalion No.366 of the former Soviet Union located between Askaran and Khankendi (Stepanakert) occupied the town and committed genocide against Azerbaijanis. On that night, when Armenians committed genocide in Khojaly, 613 peaceful residents were murdered with cruelty, tortured, beheaded, and blinded. Pregnant women were bayoneted. Among them were 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly people."

MP Tateishi praised Azerbaijan`s achievements, stressing the importance of bilateral economic cooperation.