Over 20 international observers registered for presidential election
As many as 21 international observers have been registered for the presidential election to be held in Azerbaijan on April 11, chairman of the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov said during the meeting on March 10.
CEC head noted that to date, over 22,000 local observers have been registered, which means that there are on average four local observers per polling station.
Moreover, for present, 13 observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and eight observers from the CIS have been registered for the presidential election, according to Panahov.
Forty-one polling stations will be created in 32 foreign countries in connection with the presidential election in Azerbaijan, the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a message March 12.
Diplomatic representations and consulates of Azerbaijan continue to work in this direction, taking necessary measures.
In particular, a working group has been established from the staff of the relevant departments of the Foreign Ministry and coordinated work is carried out with the Central Election Commission (CEC).
The Foreign Ministry plans to hold a training session on March 13 with the participation of CEC delegation and members of the working group of the ministry.
Information on the number of voters with active suffrage – Azerbaijani citizens who have reached the age of 18, registered in diplomatic missions and consulates of Azerbaijan, is represented by the Foreign Ministry to the Central Election Commission.
Mammadyarov and Tsereteli positively assessed the active participation of the Azerbaijani delegation in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the initiative to develop cooperation.
The sides also exchanged views on the negotiation process conducted with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mammadyarov stressed that attempts to change the internationally recognized borders of states with the use of force are unacceptable. The minister said that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the internationally recognized territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the Helsinki Final Act.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region 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. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Until now, Armenia controls fifth part of Azerbaijan’s territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from NagornoKarabakh and surrounding regions.
Azerbaijan’s importance for Silk Road
In an interview with reporters on March 13,Tsereteli said that Azerbaijan is an important member of the Silk Road Support Group. He said the OSCE PA has a big delegation from Azerbaijan, which makes good initiatives, including the development of a special group to support the Silk Road project.
“We see the first results of these efforts, which were supported by many members of the PA and by many delegations. Currently, 22 countries are members of this group,” Tsereteli said.
In 2013, China proposed the “One Belt, One Road” initiative that focuses on connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries. The strategy consists of two main components: the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and the oceangoing Maritime Silk Road. The strategy envisages creation of a trade corridor for direct supplies of goods from the east to the west on preferential terms.
Considering the fact that Azerbaijan is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and thus is a key link in the Silk Road Economic Belt, Baku initiated the creation of the Silk Road Support Group.
In his interview, Tsereteli also mentioned that peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main goal of the OSCE, which is actively involved in the resolution of all conflicts in the region.
“Participation in the settlement and peaceful resolution of conflicts is one of the most important and priority tasks for the Parliamentary Assembly, and for the OSCE itself,” Tsereteli said. “Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, we certainly support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.”
The OSCE Minsk Group is cochaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Although the Minsk Group deals with the issue for over two decades, its activities have brought no breakthrough results so far.
First Conference of Silk Road Support Group
Later in the day, Tsereteli addressed the first conference of Silk Road Support Group of the OSCE PA. Creation of a stable economic route is a common goal of the countries participating in the Silk Road, and Azerbaijan makes a great contribution to this route, he said.
Tsereteli noted that achieving economic prosperity requires cooperation between all participating countries of the route.
“Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is an ideal example of a corridor between east and west. Such projects are vital economic bridges between countries,” the OSCE PA president added.
Mammadyarov, in turn, noted that Azerbaijan is working to lure investments in development of new trade routes. “In particular, Azerbai- jan held negotiations with Deutsche Bank and a number of other potential investors from countries interested in these routes,” he said.
The foreign minister stressed that Azerbaijan is expanding its investment potential by creating favorable conditions for foreign investors, as well as developing priority non-energy areas for attracting investments.
Mammadyarov noted that the development of international transport routes makes a significant contribution to the economic development of the OSCE region.
“The Silk Road route will serve as an important momentum for economic development of not only Azerbaijan, but all countries participating in the route,” he added.
President of the Montenegrin Parliament Ivan Brajovic, who also addressed the conference, said that his country will provide real support for the development of the Silk Road.
“Montenegro will work to provide favorable conditions for the participants of the route. The conference, being held in Azerbaijan, will not pursue virtual goals, and the sides of the Silk Road project will see the results of cooperation soon,” he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Wei Jinghua, in turn, said that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and China within the Silk Road project as well as the “One Belt, One Road” initiative is an important factor in increasing the flow of cargo from China to Europe.
He noted that these projects will significantly expand China’s economic cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Europe. “The routes supported by China will bring economic benefits to at least 80 more countries, ”Jinghua added.
TRACECA Secretary General Mircea Ciopraga, who also joined the conference, noted that TRACECA offers close mutually beneficial cooperation to the Silk Road Support Group.
“The basis of partnership for all parties is to gain mutual benefit from teamwork, and active involvement in high-level international events, where there is room for exchange of experience and knowledge gained by our countries participating in the TRACECA corridor is very important,” Ciopraga said.
Speaking at the event Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar said that the Silk Road project will give impetus to cooperation between Mongolia and Azerbaijan, as well as other countries of the region.
“We cannot underestimate the importance of the Silk Road, as well as the One-Belt-One Route initiative, which is also part of this route.We are on the threshold of new opportunities, and Mongolia, in this regard, will make the necessary contribution to developing cooperation with the participating countries of this project from China to Europe, actively supported by the OSCE PA,” Tsogtbaatar said.
He further stressed the importance of Azerbaijan's role in the development of the route. In general, he said, the countries that are part of the Silk Road route, and contributing to its development, will get even greater counter contribution, expanding their economic potential.
Back in 2013, China announced a new strategy for economic development “One-Belt-One Route”, aimed at creating infrastructure and establishing links among the countries of Eurasia. The strategy includes two key areas of development: the economic belt of the Silk Road and maritime Silk Road. It is about creating a trade corridor for direct deliveries of goods from the East to the West on preferential terms.