Page 6 - DIVA_2_2007_No.29

Interview with

Elmar Maharram oglu Mammadyarov,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency, h-ies. Azerbaijan has
what are the main managed not only
priorities for the survival, but also
foreign policy of st'engtliening of its
Azerbaijan? position as a regional
leader and a player
Azerbaijan lias seve- with its say on the
ral pi'ioiities on tlie international arena.
top of its foreign Azerbaijan, witli fas-
policy agenda, of test growing econo-
wliicli contribution my in the world (35
to intemational aiid % in 2006), initiated
regional peace and and led several trans-
stability is among national energy pro-
tl'ie most iinpoitant. jects, including
Azerbaijan spares no Bahi-Thilisi-Ceyhan
effoits to practically oil and Balai-Tbilisi-
contribute to this Erzei'um natural gas
end. We are active in peace bilateral relations witli pipelines, and was among the
keepiiig, cooperate bilaterally Eiropean nations and moves forinders of tbe regional GUAM
and wliining iiitei'national for a foi'ward iii its cooperation with and BSEC organizations. We
on flight agaiiist tei-roi'ism, aiid EU, NATO, Couicil of Erirope forget cooperation with
engage into tlie regional and others. NATION aiid Eriropean Union,
ai'rangements wliicli facilitate became fiill-fledged members of
regional peace. Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Council of Europe, OSCE, and
rmlilce those of European today we are the elected member
One of the most pressing issues nations, has been significantly of {JN's ECOSOC and Humaii
of tlie contemporai'y iiitematio- affected by inilitaiy aggression Rights Coincil.
nal affairs became the energy of the neigliboriiig Armenia and
secui'ity. European as well as subsequent occupation of tlie Q: In the current international
maiiy other nations expresses fiftli of Azerbaijaiii tei'i'itories. situation several actors tend to
tlieir liigli concei'i'is aborit the For that reason, Azerbaijani claim that multilateralism is in
cru'rent stance of the energy sup- Foreign Sei'vice lias been forced danger. What is your opinion?
plies and tlieir reliability. Given to deal witli the issue of restora- Do you tend prefer bilateral
Azerbaijan's significant oil and tion of the tei'i'itoi'ial iiitegi'ity, relations on the detrimental of
gas resoru'ces as well as a trans- which became one of tlie most multilateral relations or do
it cormtry capability for tlie impoitant piioi'ity issues for ris. you find tliese hvo complimen-
o Central Asian resorirces, we put tary in serving the interest of
contiibution to tlie European Q: From its independence in your country?
and world energy secririty veiy 1991 and up to date, wliat do
liigli 011 oir foreign policy prio- you consider the main acliie- I thiiilc tliat, on the contraiy, crir-
s'ity list. vements of your country on rent intei'iiational situation is
the international scene? more multilaterally sliaped. Tlie
Integration iiito Eairopean aiid role of institutions is risiiig, and
&iro-Atlantic structiu'es is ano- We proved orirselves. I'm not United Nations, tlie only ruuver-
tlier priority. Azerbaijan sees sure not many believed tliat sal organization, needs to be
0 itself as a member of tl'ie smaller nations lilce orirs worild even more effective today tlian a
family
X Eriropean liistory, in tenns of liave sui'vived intei'nationally decade a go. In tlffs context, we
and predicted
ou' easy fall ruider
UN refonns
contimie suppoiting
culture
values,
and
LLj vision; and tlierefore, develops tlie iifflrience of st'onger corin- whicli sliorild be aimed at
4 2 2007 Diva

w w w d i v a i n t e r n a t io n a I c h