President Aliyev: Multiculturalism is a state policy in Azerbaijan

The 6th Baku International Humanitarian Forum was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center on October 25.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the official opening ceremony of the Forum. President Aliyev made speech at the event.

“The Baku International Humanitarian forum has become an important international even in a short timeframe. Over 400 foreign guests from 90 countries attend the forum this year. It shows that there is great interest in the forum in the world. I am sure the issues discussed at the forum will be very important for future humanitarian cooperation and the foreign guests will greatly contribute to the work of the forum,” President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that Azerbaijan has become one of the multiculturalism addressees in the world and this honorable status is recognized by the world community.

“Along the centuries, representatives of different religions and nations lived in Azerbaijan as a family in peace, stability, friendly conditions and this policy is being continued today,” said the President.

Our historical and religious monuments show our ancient history and at the same time they show that Azerbaijan has been a native land for representatives of different religions, Ilham Aliyev noted.

“Construction and reconstruction of monuments of traditional religions – catholic, orthodox churches, synagogues – is a reality in Azerbaijan. This reality creates a wonderful public climate in our country. Multiculturalism is a state policy in Azerbaijan,” said the President.

President Ilham Aliyev went on to say that Azerbaijan’s experience in this field is worth praising and can be a wonderful model.

Further, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets read out an appeal of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the forum participants.

As a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States plays an important role in searching for ways to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with the U.S. President’s National Security Adviser John Bolton on October 24.

“The Armenian occupation is a clear evidence of the gross violation of the norms and principles of international law. The UN Security Council adopted relevant resolutions on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenia, which ignores these resolutions, tries to perpetuate the status quo and freeze the situation, which is unacceptable,” President Aliyev noted.

The head of state pointed out that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored and that the country hopes that the activities of the Minsk Group co-chair countries will yield practical results.

President Aliyev went on to say that Azerbaijan participates in the peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and the country has recently increased the number of its servicemen there up to 120, describing it as a good sign of the country’s contribution to Resolute Support Mission.

Touching upon relations in other areas, the head of state underlined that numerous U.S. companies have been successfully operating in energy and non-energy sectors in Azerbaijan as investors and contractors for many years.

“Azerbaijan and the United States enjoy high-level cooperation in energy sector, which results in the implementation of huge global projects. And this contributes to the regional development,” the head of state emphasized, adding that the Southern Gas Corridor is of great importance among these projects.

Ilham Aliyev thanked the U.S. government for supporting the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project.

Noting that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to John Bolton’s visit, President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that this trip will contribute to strengthening partnership ties between the two countries.

In turn, the U.S. President’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said he is pleased to pay his first visit to Azerbaijan and expressed hope that he will visit the country again.

Stressing that relations with Azerbaijan are a top priority for the U.S., John Bolton said that the importance of ties in political, economic, security and other areas has increased. Pointing out that Azerbaijan is located in an extremely strategic part of the world, John Bolton noted that during the visit to Azerbaijan they intend to discuss the current state of relations as well as threats to international peace and security.

Speaking of the economic cooperation, John Bolton stressed that taking into consideration Azerbaijan’s key role in international energy issues, the U.S. government wants to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sector as well as in other areas, including the fight against international terrorism and human trafficking.

Bolton noted that the U.S. very well understands that the ArmeniaAzerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a top priority for Azerbaijan, adding that one of the main goals of his visit is to get more information about how Azerbaijan assesses the state of the settlement of the conflict.

The sides also discussed various areas of strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the U.S., and expressed confidence that the two countries will maintain successful cooperation.

As part of his visit, Bolton also held meeting with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Underlining that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the relations with the U.S., Mammadyarov stressed that Azerbaijan closely cooperates with the U.S. in several fields, particularly as part of the fight against terrorism.

Highlighting the necessity of further developing cooperation relations in different spheres between the two countries Bolton said that the U.S.Azerbaijani relations are of the strategic importance.

At the meeting the sides discussed the energy, transit and transport projects implemented by the initiative of Azerbaijan, especially Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the Southern Gas Corridor.

Further, John Bolton met with SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev. At the meeting the sides discussed the contribution of oil and gas projects implemented at the initiative of Azerbaijan to the energy security of the region and Europe.

Moreover, U.S. President’s National Security Adviser made statements at a press-conference, during which he touched upon important issues, such as regulation of NagornoKarabakh conflict, energy cooperation etc.