Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the Summit of Eastern Partnership countries

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen.

Azerbaijan is an active partner country of the Eastern Partnership. Cooperation with the European Union is one of the top priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. We have close cooperation with many member countries of the European Union. Azerbaijan has signed strategic partnership documents with nine members of the European Union. We are in the final stages of negotiations on a new partnership agreement with the European Union. Ninety percent of the text has already been agreed. Two years ago, in Brussels, the “Partnership Priorities” document was initialed between Azerbaijan and the European Union. It emphasizes the commitment of both parties to the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be resolved on the basis of the same principles. Armenia continues to occupy 20 percent of the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other districts of Azerbaijan have been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years. As a result of Armenia’s policy of ethnic cleansing, more than 1 million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. Four UN Security Council resolutions require a complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Instead of observing these resolutions, as well as relevant documents adopted by the OSCE, the Non-Aligned Movement, NATO, the European Parliament and other international organizations, Armenia pursues a policy of illegal settlement in the occupied territories. Contrary to what the Prime Minister of Armenia is saying in an effort to nullify the essence and format of the negotiations, Nagorno-Karabakh is not Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijan, and the whole world recognizes it as such. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored.

Despite the occupation and humanitarian catastrophe, Azerbaijan has achieved great results in terms of the socioeconomic development. Over the past 16 years, our gross domestic product has tripled and the poverty rate has dropped from 49 to 5 percent. The European Union is our main trading partner. About 50 percent of our trade comes from member states. For almost 15 years now, Azerbaijan has been a reliable supplier transporting crude oil to European markets. In the near future, we will begin to supply natural gas to member states of the European Union. Our country initiated the construction of the Southern Gas Corridor, an integrated pipeline system with a length of 3,500 kilometers that will connect Azerbaijan with the markets of the European Union, and financed it. The Southern Gas Corridor is a project of energy cooperation, energy security and energy diversification.

Measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic have allowed us the opportunity to keep the situation under control and losses at minimum level. The World Health Organization has described Azerbaijan as a model country in the fight against coronavirus. Azerbaijan, elected chair by a unanimous decision of 120 countries members of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019, organized an online summit of the Movement on COVID-19 on 4 May this year. We greatly appreciate the participation of the European Union and the African Union in this event. I want to express my gratitude to the High Representative, Mr. Josep Borrell, for the video message. We hope that this will be the beginning of active cooperation between the European Union and the Non-Aligned Movement. We also suggested holding a special meeting of the UN General Assembly at the level of heads of state and government in a video conference format dedicated to COVID-19. Azerbaijan has voluntarily allocated financial assistance to the World Health Organization in the amount of $10 million to combat the pandemic. At the same time, our country has provided humanitarian assistance to 29 states so far and plans to continue this work. Thank you!