By Vestnik Kavkaza
The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is on an official visit to Russia on May 24-26. The program of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister included a meeting with the chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
At a joint press conference after the meeting, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said: “I share those notes of optimism which have been voiced in respect of the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is an issue, there is a problem, it should be solved. In the words of Sergey Viktorovich, it is already overdue. I should inform the journalists that we bit by bit, detail by detail, discussed the way forward on this difficult issue yesterday and today. I still hope that those notes of optimism, which sounded in the voice of Sergei Viktorovich, I will share as well.”
See “Settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains one of Moscow's foreign policy priorities”
According to the head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, “the strategic partnership between our countries, between Azerbaijan and Russia, includes comprehensive cooperation. We are very pleased that this cooperation, which we have established, is not only with Moscow and its government, but also with all regions of Russia. I think it is a very good direction, because regional cooperation, all the activities that take place directly on cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan and our access to the regions cements a partnership, the strategic partnership, which exists between us.
It is a great opportunity, a turnover. They say there are different numbers. I believe that first we must gather, as we did today, by the way, we agreed to define the methodology for calculation of turnover, because it must include all of the components, including military-technical cooperation, which is actively developing between our two countries. And I think that this issue we will decide in a framework of ministerial consultations, involving other partners of the government.”
Speaking about the Caspian issue, Mammadyarov stated that they “discussed the possibilities of how we can further move the historic moment to come, to sign the Convention on the status of the Caspian Sea. Already it also requires its position. And in general, I think that Azerbaijan's position on many issues consolidated with the position of the Russian Federation. And in early June, when in Tehran the next debate will be held at the level of deputy ministers, we are going to be even closer to the document on the summit in Kazakhstan that will be prepared to the fullest extent.”
Commenting development of humanitarian ties, the Foreign Minister said that President of Azerbaijan signed a new order on opening a branch of the Sechenov Moscow Medical Institute in Baku. “We already have a branch of Moscow State University, which is very active. And now, this pleases us, the cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural spheres, primarily in education, develops and rises to a new level. And the opening of such an internationally-important institution as a Sechenov Institute in Baku may significantly help with the preparation of local personnel. For that we are very grateful, thankful and ready to assist.”
Speaking about the European Games in Baku, Mammadyarov noted: “Today I read an article that the Russian delegation will be one of the biggest, will compete in all 20 sports in Baku. And we wish it good luck!”
