Baku City Circuit talks on forthcoming Formula 1 races

Interest in the Formula 1 races increases and a great interest to them is shown by both local residents and foreign guests.

Head of the Marketing and Communications Department of the Baku City Circuit (BCC), Nigar Arpadarai reported that this year the sale of tickets is planned to begin earlier, that is, from the end of October.

“This time, ticket sales for Azerbaijani citizens will also start with a discount campaign. The early sale of tickets is connected with the fact that foreigners make their plans in advance,” she explained.

Arpadarai also touched on the issue of continuing the race after five-year preiod.

“Negotiations are underway on the extension of the races, but for how long they will be prolonged, it is still unknown”, she added.

The head of the department said that starting from November installation works will begin.

Earlier, executive director of Baku City Circuit Arif Rahimov informed that Baku City Circuit wants the race to be held in June, not in April.

“The preparation for the route takes three-four months. If the race takes place in April, this means that we must start these works in winter, and unfavorable weather, rains, a strong wind, and all this slows down the process. So, we definitely would like to move the time of the race for June. But first it is necessary to look at the calendar. I do not know what plans of the organizers have for the championship for the next year, and how they are going to compose them, but ideally we would like to hold the race in the summer,” he added.

Thomas Greminger also held a meeting with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, during which the sides discussed cooperation programs.

Mammadyarov underscored the great significance that Azerbaijan attaches to cooperation with the OSCE as a regional organization.

Noting the fundamental principle of indivisibility of security within the OSCE, he stated the importance of ensuring that all Member States are committed to their obligations under the Helsinki Final Act.

In this regard, Mammadyarov stressed that the Republic of Armenia, grossly violating the commitments undertaken by the Helsinki Final Act as a member of the OSCE, continues to use the force to occupy the Nagorno-Karabakh region and adjacent regions of Azerbaijan.

The minister pointing out that the OSCE, since its establishment, was involved in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, noted necessity of redoubling the efforts to change the status quo of occupation and to ensure withdrawal of armed forces of Armenia from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Mammadyarov added that the illegal presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan constitutes the primary threat to regional peace and security.

Recalling that the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Helsinki Final Act constitute the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Mammadyarov underlined that Azerbaijan stands ready for substantive and intensive negotiations to achieve progress in resolving the conflict and ensuring a lasting and just peace in the region.

He also briefed about the work done by Azerbaijan on furthering economic cooperation and connectivity, and the opportunities for a multi-modal transport infrastructure covering the region and the extended OSCE space. In this regard, the minister noted the East-West, North-South, South-West projects and the already commissioned Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route.

He added that these projects implemented with the participation and initiative of Azerbaijan contribute to economic development and prosperity in the OSCE area, as well as to the strengthening of regional peace and security.

At the meeting the role of parliamentary diplomacy as well as the cooperation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was also noted.

Speaking to reporters later, Greminger said that OSCE Supports Minsk Group's activities on the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict.

The mediators are making efforts to resolve the conflict, according to the secretary general.

Nevertheless, the parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should have political will in order to achieve progress, Greminger added.

He noted that the purpose of his visit to Baku is to study potential for further development of relations between Azerbaijan and the OSCE.

Azerbaijan as an active OSCE member makes an important contribution to the activities of the institution, including the establishment of dialogue and political, military issues, Greminger said adding that, OSCE highly appreciates this and believes that there is potential for further development of cooperation.

He also informed that the next meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan may take place in the fourth week of September in New York.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Although the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.