Ilham Aliyev received President of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

On September 3, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Noting that one of the existing conflicts in the OSCE area has been resolved and lasting peace has been secured in the region, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the progress made on the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Expressing his gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev regretfully stressed that the OSCE Minsk Group, which had been responsible for resolving the conflict for nearly 30 years, failed to achieve any results in the negotiation process, while the UN Security Council resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the territories of Azerbaijan were never implemented.

President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan itself brought an end to the conflict through military and political means, restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

During the conversation, the sides expressed satisfaction with Azerbaijan’s contacts and political dialogue with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, noting that these relations differ from those with certain other European parliamentary institutions.

The meeting underlined the importance of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly demonstrating a balanced approach toward the entire OSCE area in its agenda.

The meeting also highlighted the significance of intercultural dialogue and commended Azerbaijan’s role and contributions to this process.

Emphasizing the importance of the 4th International Mine Action Conference, themed “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements,” held in Baku, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro noted that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly had also discussed the mine problem as part of its agenda.