Azerbaijan News - Baku Declaration of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process 7th Ministerial Conference reaffirms commitments to principle of territorial commitments to principle of territorial integrity /Azerbaijan's FM: Azerbaijan remains committed to supporting stabilization in the Heart of Asia /Azerbaijani Turkish Language, cultural and national rights activist Mujgan Siyami is freed from prison in Iran - Azerbaycan Türk dil, kültür və milli haklar mücadiləcisi Müjqan Siyami azadlığa buraxılıb /Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov meets Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif / Azerbaijan and Turkiye's air forces discuss further cooperation /CSTO adopts statement on Karabagh conflict settlement / FM Chavusoglu: Turkey to further stand by Azerbaijan in Karabagh conflict’s settlement / Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan agree to exchange transportation permits / The Daily Caller publishes article about Congress members who paid illegal visit to Azerbaijan's occupied lands/Baku hosts “
Azerbaijani Community
Baku Declaration of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process 7th Ministerial Conference reaffirms commitments to principle of territorial commitments to principle of territorial integrity
Fri 01 December 2017 17:07 GMT | 12:07 Local Time
The participants of the conference reaffirmed their commitment not to use force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of states, and not to threaten them by using force, APA reports.
The declaration highlights the role of the international community in Afghanistan and calls for fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime.
The participants further underscored the need for efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation. The declaration also contains issues of regional cooperation.
“We reiterate the obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the political independence, territorial integrity, or sovereignty of any state,” reads the Baku Declaration of The Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process 7th Ministerial Conference 1st December.
According to the declaration, the participating countries stressed the need to advance regional cooperation as an effective and necessary means to address common challenges and to promote security, stability and socio-economic development in the Heart of Asia region.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the United Nations Charter and its enshrined principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, inviolability of internationally recognized borders, sovereign equality of nations and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states as well as universally recognized principles and norms of international law. Furthermore, we reaffirm our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We reiterate the importance of increased political dialogue and consultation between the countries comprising the Heart of Asia for a stable, peaceful and prosperous region.
We reiterate the obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the political independence, territorial integrity, or sovereignty of any state. We reaffirm our commitment to develop friendly relations among HoA countries based on good neighborly relations, peaceful co-existence, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.
We express our sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan for hosting the Seventh Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Baku. We welcome the willingness of the Republic of Turkey to host the Ministerial Conference in 2018 and the Republic of Tajikistan in 2019,” reads the Baku Declaration.
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Azerbaijan's FM: Azerbaijan remains committed to supporting stabilization in the Heart of Asia
Fri 01 December 2017 07:19 GMT | 2:19 Local Time
"Since its inception in 2011, the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process has proved itself to be an effective multilateral platform for all parties involved, be it participating countries or supporting countries and organizations, to consolidate their efforts for settlement in Afghanistan and in the region. This platform introduces a unique opportunity to achieve peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and broader region, through dialogue and cooperation among regional countries and beyond," Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov has said at the at the “Heart of Asia” – Istanbul Process 7thMinisterial Conference December 1, 2017.
According to him, today Azerbaijan is completing its duty as the co-chair of the Istanbul Process.
"Nevertheless, Azerbaijan remains committed to supporting the stabilization, peaceful reconstruction and development in the Heart of Asia, through bilateral efforts as well as various multilateral platforms. Through its co-chairmanship, Azerbaijan, I believe so made all possible contributions to advance the objectives of the Process. In 2017, we hosted Senior Officials Meetings in Baku and New York, and expert meetings of the Confidence Building Measures on Combating Narcotics and Regional Infrastructure," the minister noted.
He expressed confidence that a secure, self-reliant and self –sufficient Afghanistan has much to offer for the region’s better future.
"Hence, Azerbaijan has been continuously supporting Afghanistan’s efforts to build a sustainable statehood, providing substantial military, civil service, law enforcement, mine action, medical and rehabilitation trainings for Afghan officials, as well as sharing its experience on e-governance and public service deliveries. Today, our troops serve at the Resolute Support Mission and we continue our assistance to the Afghanistan National Army.
Azerbaijan’s contributions to the regional connectivity unlock opportunities for Afghanistan and wider region to be integrated into new regional markets and international trade networks. The recent inauguration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad and the Lapis-Lazuli agreement of 5 nations, which are represented here today, will facilitate smooth movement of goods and passengers throughout the region. A wide region stretching from Georgia-Azerbaijan to the Central Asia, across the Caspian, constitutes an emerging competitive trade and transit artery in transcontinental trade routes connecting the World’s largest supply and demand markets. In this regard, we believe, the Lapis Lazuli agreement will have a significant role not only in bringing Afghanistan closer to European markets, but also in boosting international trade throughout the region," the minister added.
According to him, Azerbaijan, as a country which knows the problems of the conflict from the first hand as we have long been suffering from military aggression of the neighboring Armenia, deeply comprehends the value of peace, security and stability.
"We believe that only respect for norms and principles of international law, particularly those pertaining to sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of international borders of states can be a warranty for a lasting peace, security and stability in the region," the minister said.
He went on to say that today’s Conference on “Security and Economic Connectivity towards a Strengthened Heart of Asia Region” reflects the vision that only secure and economically connected region can withstand challenges and threats of any scale in future.
"We hope that the Baku Declaration that we are expecting to adopt at the end of the Conference will be a milestone document in addressing the challenges and threats that the region faces today.
"Before concluding my remarks, I’d love to wish all the success to brotherly Turkey as the new co-chair of the 'Heart of Asia' – Istanbul Process for the year 2018.
"I thank you all and wish you productive discussions," the minister concluded.
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Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov meets Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif
Fri 01 December 2017 12:26 GMT | 7:26 Local Time
During the meeting, the ministers appreciated the continued efforts made to develop the friendly and good neighborly relations between Iran and Azerbaijan in various fields.
The Ministers noted the importance of deepening cooperation in various formats in line with the spirit of bilateral relations. In this regard, they highlighted the important role of Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey trilateral meeting to be held in Baku on December 19-20 in terms of regional cooperation and exchanged views on the creation of new formats of trilateral cooperation.
The parties touched upon issues related to the development of the North-South transport corridor and expressed their confidence that this project will connect South Asia and Northern Europe and promote cooperation and prosperity throughout the region.
The Ministers discussed issues related to the legal status of the Caspian Sea and expressed their determination to develop the Caspian Sea as a place of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and other Caspian littoral states.
During the meeting, the sides noted that Heart of Asia -Istanbul process is a unique platform that combines the efforts of the the parties supporting and participating in promoting stability, security and progress in Afghanistan and beyond it and highlighted the importance of the 7th Baku Ministerial Meeting.
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Azərbaycanlı mədəni fəal Müjqan Siyami azadlığa buraxılıb
Rejimin təhlükəsizlik qüvvələri oktyabrın 22-də xanım Siyaminin yaşadığı evə müraciət edərək evdə axtarış apardıqdan sonra onu yaxalayıb.
Xanım Siyaminin yaxınlarının verdiyi məlumata görə, o noyabrın 16-da mülki vəsiqə qarşılığında müvəqqəti olaraq sərbəst buraxılıb.
Mədəni fəalın müvəqqəti saxlanma təcridxanasında saxlandığı müddətdə onun vəkili və ailə üzvləri məhkəmə və təhlükəsizlik orqanlarına müraciət edərək fəalın hansı səbəbdən yaxalandığı və ittihamı barədə məlumat almağa çalışıblar, lakin bu barədə onlara cavab verilməyib.
Xanım Siyaminin sosiologiya və ədəbiyyat üzrə yüksək lisansı var. İranda “siyasət adamı” məfhumuna aydınlıq gətirilməsini tələb edən Siyami dinin siyasətdən ayrı olduğuna inanaraq ötən prezident seçkilərində öz namizədliyini irəli sürmüşdür, lakin onun səlahiyyəti rejimin Keşikçilər Şurası tərəfindən rədd edildiyi üçün namizədliyi qeydə alınmamışdır.
N.S 17 Noyabr 2017
Azerbaijan and Turkiye's air forces discuss further cooperation
Fri 01 December 2017 07:46 GMT | 2:46 Local Time
The two exchanged views on the ways of developing cooperation in security, military, military-technical and military education areas. ia” – Istanbul Process 7thMinisterial Conference December 1, 2017.
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CSTO adopts statement on Karabagh conflict settlement
Fri 01 December 2017 08:55 GMT | 3:55 Local Time
"OSCE Minsk Group is the only institution of the international community which aims to help the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement through political and diplomatic means", the statement reads.
"We as the CSTO Presidents once again reiterate our support for the efforts exerted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the three principles for conflict settlement: peoples’ right to self-determination, non-use of force or threat of force and territorial integrity. We express our commitment to the agreements reached in Vienna, Sankt-Petersburg and Geneva summits in 2016-2017 years envisaging reducing tension, stabilizing the situation and the advancement of peace process in conflict zone."
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FM Chavusoglu: Turkey to further stand by Azerbaijan in Karabagh conflict’s settlement
Thu 30 November 2017 11:10 GMT | 6:10 Local Time
“From this point of view, the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan are in constant contact,” Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani and Pakistani counterparts in Baku on Nov. 30, AzVision.az reports.
He recalled the remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin: “Erdogan said that if Russia is decisive, this issue will be resolved and this initiative will be supported by Turkey. We support all formulas suitable for Azerbaijan.”
Cavusoglu said he met with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Ankara on November 29.
“During a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the Turkish side called on them to be more active and more sincere,” added the foreign minister.
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Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan agree to exchange transportation permits
Thu 30 November 2017 17:12 GMT | 12:12 Local Time
The two countries exchanged data on volume of road transport in 2017 as well as information on the use of special transport permits, and discussed a number of other significant issues, the Ministry of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan said in a message Nov. 30.
The parties stressed parity in use of transport permits by Kazakh and Azerbaijani carriers - Azerbaijani carriers prevail in transportation, while Kazakh carriers prevail in transits.
At the same time, the countries do not carry out passenger transportation.
However, the delegations noted that the issue of establishing a car passenger communication between the two countries will be considered.
The sides agreed to establish a preliminary exchange of 1,000 bilateral transportation and transit permits for 2018.
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The Daily Caller publishes article about Congress members who paid illegal visit to Azerbaijan's occupied lands
Thu 30 November 2017 11:26 GMT | 6:26 Local Time
Some members of Congress have found themselves in trouble recently for acting irresponsibly and illegally and for demonstrating that they think they are above the law. And when members of Congress take it upon themselves to disregard official and longstanding foreign policy, they must be held accountable.
But what about lawmakers who flout the laws of foreign nations when they visit those nations? Three members of Congress did just that earlier this fall: Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), David Valadao (R-CA), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). The trio of legislators visited Armenia and then, on September 20, made a side trip to Nagorno-Karabakh, a region where the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan are locked in conflict.
“Pallone, Valadao and Gabbard paid an illegal visit to the occupied Azerbaijani territories, thus breaching Azerbaijani law,” a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, according to Radio Liberty. “All three are added to the list of undesirable persons in Azerbaijan.”
Azerbaijan’s government has declared Nagorno-Karabakh to be a sovereign territory of Azerbaijan that is under illegal military occupation by Armenia. By crossing Azerbaijan’s borders illegally and visiting the occupied territory without Azerbaijan’s official permission, the American members of Congress flagrantly broke the law of an American ally and, arguably, international law. Why did they visit Azerbaijan’s national territory without Azerbaijani permission?
There are only about 1.5 million Armenian Americans in the United States. So why would these members of go out of their way during a visit to Armenia to insult Azerbaijan, an American military ally?
If Pallone, Valadao and Gabbard say they want to improve American economic and cultural relations with Armenia, that hardly passes the smell test. The CIA World Factbook ranks it number 138 in world economies below Zimbabwe (133), Papua New Guinea (134), and is slightly above Haiti in rank (147). By way of comparison, Mexico is ranked number 20.
Imagine an American member of who can’t visit a military ally of the United States because he or she is “persona non grata” there. Consider how the United States would have countenanced a visit by, say, a member of the England’s Parliament to Richmond, Virginia when it was the capital of the Confederate States of America. What would the United States have done had these men violated U.S. law to visit a secessionist land?
There are compelling reasons why members of Congress should not visit any part of Azerbaijan without permission.
1. Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. It was part of Azerbaijan when Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union. The so-called referendum declaring independence from Azerbaijan by Armenian ethnics in the region was no more legal than secession by the Confederacy states of the United States in 1861.
2. To visit there without Azerbaijan’s permission can and did result in being “blacklisted” by a legitimate government for an illegitimate visit.
3. Azerbaijan is a military ally of the United States; Armenia is not. Azerbaijan not only has soldiers in Afghanistan, it gave air transit rights and support to American forces in route to Afghanistan.Armenia did not. Up to 40 percent of American materiel and personnel has flown through Azerbaijan since 2002.
4. Armenia is allied militarily with Russia, which has a huge Army base in Armenia with 5,000 soldiers. Russia guards Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey and controls Armenia’s air defenses. The fact of the matter is that Armenia’s armed forces are an integral part of Russia’s military. The United States does not recognize Russian proxies in the Ukraine, in the Republic of Georgia or in the Nagorno-Karabakh.
5. The Anti-Defamation League has ranked Armenia as the second most anti-Semitic country in Europe.
Perhaps Pallone, Valadao and Gabbard should fly directly to Azerbaijan to thank Azerbaijan Airlines for buying $1.1 billion worth of Boeing airliners in 2017. The planes were made in South Carolina and Washington State. That visit would do the U.S. much good.
Raoul Lowery Contreras is the author of “The Armenian Lobby & U.S. Foreign Policy,” (Berkeley Press 2017); “The Mexican Border: Immigration, War and a Trillion Dollars in Trade,” (Floricanto Press 2016). He formerly wrote for the New American New Service of the New York Times.
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Baku hosts “Youth and religious communities: cooperation and development” conference
Thu 30 November 2017 17:09 GMT | 12:09 Local Time
Addressing the conference, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Mubariz Gurbanli highlighted tolerance traditions in the Azerbaijani society, AzerTag reports. He said that representatives of different nations and religions have always co-existed in an atmosphere of peace and friendship in Azerbaijan. “These values are one of the greatest assets of the Azerbaijani people.” He underlined the importance of instilling the values of tolerance and multiculturalism into young people.
Others speakers hailed Azerbaijan`s model of religious tolerance and pointed out young people`s role in raising the international community`s awareness of Azerbaijan`s achievements in the field of multiculturalism.
Executive director of the Youth Foundation Farhad Hajiyev, Chairman of the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, MP Fattah Heydarov, leader of the Baku Mountain Jews Religious Community Milikh Yevdayev, Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Prefecture Vladimir Fekete, head of the Albanian Udi Christian Community Robert Mobili and chairman of ASAN Volunteers Youth Organization Bakhtiyar Islamov were among the attendees.
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