"Azerbaijan, being in a complicated environment, can boast achievements in interethnic and interreligious tolerance"

By Orkhan Sattarov, the head of the European Bureau of Vestnik Kavkaza

Berlin held the third symposium on stability and security in the South Caucasus on February 26, dedicated to the Khojaly tragedy.Many high-ranking politicians attend the symposium every year, it has turned into a fixed German platform for regular talks about regional problems of the South Caucasus.

The event, organized by the German-Azerbaijani Forum, Azerbaijani embassy in Germany, SOCAR and the German-Atlantic Society, has been participated in by about 20 members of the German parliament, many diplomats and economic figures.

Speaking at the forum, Bundestag Vice President Johannes Singhammer said: "Azerbaijan and Germany are connected by diverse common interests in the energy sector, maintenance of stability, security and peace in the South Caucasus and beyond. This was emphasized by the Bundestag in the resolution passed in May 2009, which has fully lost all its significance since then. It confirmed the territorial integrity of the South Caucasus states. The bilateral relations between our countries are a partnership.

I would like to remind that Azerbaijan opened its first embassy after the restoration of independence in 1992 in Germany. It is a sign of the special, close, friendly partnership between our countries. The Berlin visit of President Aliyev, when he met with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and their joint participation in the Munich Security Forum, emphasize the closeness of our ties. I think that the potential of German-Azerbaijani relations is far from being fully exploited, and gives us many opportunities. Three-quarters of Germany's trade turnover with the South Caucasus states belongs to Azerbaijan. Looking at the geopolitical situation, there are many worrying processes that need more intensive cooperation between our countries. This year on October 3 we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Germany. This event is a gift of history, a miracle. We thought that wars and conflicts in Europe were history.

Unfortunately, today, we need to state that war has returned to Europe. It boils a thousand kilometers east of Berlin. Now a truce has come, and we hope that the truce will gradually turn into full-fledged peace."
Meanwhile, in Singhammer's opinion, "we see a great threat represented by Islamic terrorist organizations spreading from the Middle East Region to West Africa. They call themselves the Islamic State, or Boko Haram in West Africa, but their goals and methods are quite similar and disgusting. People put in cages are burned alive or beheaded. It is a new unprecedented challege before us. It is a conflict between civilization and anti-civilization. And all civilized states need to unite against the further spread of terrorism. Cooperation today is more necessary than before."

The vice president of the Bundestag mentioned economic cooperation: "Azerbaijan is a country rich with resources, having the most important geopolitical value, in particular, for energy security of Germany. Germany is currently importing oil from Azerbaijan for over 2 billion euros, which makes Azerbaijan the sixth most important oil supplier of Germany. In late September 2013 a set of European energy companies, including Germany's E.ON, signed long-term contracts on supplies of Azerbaijani gas. Delivery of Caspian gas via the Southern Corridor will become a contribution to maintenance of the energy security of Europe, which we welcome. In four years, Azerbaijani gas will reach Europe in a volume of 10 billion cubic meters annually via the Trans-Adriatic Gas Pipeline. It has special value for us, and the federal government of Germany has expressed its active support for the Southern Gas Corridor numerous times. I also think that, besides cooperation in the resource sector, we need intensification of our economic relations. Chancellor Merkel noted at her recent meeting with President Ilham Aliyev that she viewed Azerbaijan as a partner in the common economic context, not viewing it as only an exporter of energy resources. Legal protection and the principles of a legal state are an important prerequisite for our intensive cooperation in the future. For us, Germany, human rights are a decisive factor. And we are happy that Azerbaijan is clearly oriented towards the West, and, thus, takes a clear position on European values."

Singhammer noted that Baku and Berlin "support the integral contacts at the civic level, this includes our political foundations, effectively operating on a transparent basis. As Chancellor Angela Merkel noted at the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Germany is very interested in German foundations and other organizations continuing work in Azerbaijan on a protected legal basis. I think that this is a very important aspect. We view Azerbaijan as a reliable partner of the West. As a country, being in a complicated environment, it can boast its achievements in interethnic and interreligious tolerance. I would like to remind you that women's suffrage was implemented in Azerbaijan back in 1917, i.e. a year earlier than in Germany. I think that in this difficult time in the international arena we need to intensify our cooperation and promote peace and economic development together."