Daily Times: Azerbaijan ready to play greater role in region, says Aliyev

Daily Times

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

• President offers energy, security, finances for silk route reopening, support for ECO bank

* Seeks international support for recovery of territory ‘occupied’ by Armenia

ISTANBuL: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said his country is ready to play a bigger and more responsible role in the region.

“Azerbaijan is ready to play its due role in helping the member states of Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) with energy security, financing the reopening of the historic silk route between Europe and Asia via its lands besides ensuring the success of the organisation’s bank,” Aliyev said while addressing the 11th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation held at the Chiragan Palace in Istanbul.

Aliyev also hoped that international community and Muslim world would help recover its ‘occupied territory’ from Armenian occupation by utilising all peaceful methods.

The summit was opened by the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmud Ahmedinejad, who has held the presidency of the Economic Cooperation Organisation since the 10th summit held in Tehran in March 2009. The presidency of the Economic Cooperation Organisation now stands officially handed over from Iran to Turkey during this summit.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev while addressing the summit said that his country attaches great importance to the activities of the Economic Cooperation Organisation. “We are an active member of the organisation, and it is pleasing that the organisation is strengthening. I am confident that in the future, the organisation will gradually play an increasingly important role worldwide. As this role increases, the potential of the member states of the organisation will also expand,” he added.

He informed the heads of states that his country was fully aware of the regional developments and is trying to be an active member of all these developments, especially transport and energy. “Azerbaijan seeks to mobilize its economic potential in order to take a greater contribution to this large-scale cooperation,” he said.

Elaborating the economic progress of his country, President said that “Over the last seven years, gross domestic product (GDP) of Azerbaijan has tripled and budget expenses have increased by 12 times. Poverty has fallen by four times.” He said this economic upturn has allowed his government to share its economic progress and natural resources for developing a greater economic cooperation with the regional countries not only in commerce but also in helping them achieve energy security.

He said that “Our rich oil and gas reserves can play a positive role in developing stronger regional cooperation.” “Today there are seven oil and gas pipelines extending from our country to the world market. Azerbaijan is realising its potential through these pipelines, thus enabling neighbouring brotherly and friendly countries to meet some of their demand for energy.”

He assured the summit leaders that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner, and has always honoured, and will honour, its obligations. “We have proved to be a supplier, a transit country and a reliable partner for many years,” he said. special correspondent

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