(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Fuad Muxtar-Aqbabali
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Russian Deputy Prime
Minister Alexei Overchuk in Baku on October 27 ahead of his
unilaterally confirmed meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan in Sochi on October 31 under the aegis of Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting ahead of the upcoming trilateral summit seems
logical and crucial in terms of identifying and agreeing on issues
to be discussed in Sochi in the hope of bringing closer positions
of Baku and Yerevan towards the possible signing of a peace deal by
the end of the year, and closing gaps on issues the parties cannot
come to the terms yet.
The two men in Baku, according to available reports, discussed
the activities of the trilateral Azerbaijani-Russian-Armenia
working group established for the purpose of restoring transport
and economic relations in the region regarding the implementation
of the November 10, 2020, statement.
On the same day, President Ilham Aliyev received UN Deputy
Secretary General, Director-General of the United Nations Office at
Geneva (UN Geneva) Tatiana Valovaya, where the sides expressed
confidence that Azerbaijan will achieve the targets set by 2030 in
connection with the implementation of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals.
However, pundits familiar with the behind-the-curtain
developments in the South Caucasus cite Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev's October 24 working visit to Georgia as the most
significant of the outgoing week.
In Georgia's Château Mukhrani in Mtskheta Municipality, the
ideal venue for discussing fateful for the South Caucasus issues,
the Azerbaijani leader, accompanied by Georgian Prime Minister
Irakli Garibashvili, viewed the“Heritage of Karabakh Khanate”
exhibition. With this move, official Tbilisi seems abandoned the
previously-held balanced approach to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict and proved on whose side it is on the Karabakh issue ahead
of the upcoming second anniversary of the September 27 – November
10, 2020, war that led to the liberation of territories from
Armenia's 30-year-long yoke.
This is vital amid Azerbaijan's quest for a peace deal with
Armenia to finally bring peace and harmony to the war-torn Karabakh
and surrounding region through rebuilding once prosperous towns,
districts, and villages, and resettling the IDPs back to their
homes by providing them with the vital infrastructures.
In Azerbaijan's regional vision, Georgia occupies a crucial
place as it can and should be conducive to Baku's efforts to make
Yerevan play its part to this end. Since the start of the Karabakh
conflict, Georgia has been the sole corridor for land-locked
Armenia, through whose territory the gas pipeline carries Russian
gas to resource-poor Armenia.
Azerbaijan's strategic partnership relations with Georgia have
almost risen to the level of alliance, Aliyev said in Georgia,
opining that“many projects are of special importance not only for
our countries but also for the region and Europe as a whole”.
The processes taking place in the region and issues related to
security are at the center of the ongoing Baku-Tbilisi
discussions.
“I have informed the prime minister about the situation after
the second Karabakh war and the progress of peace negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the president said in Georgia,
adding that“after the Karabakh conflict, the time has come for
Azerbaijan and Armenia to sign a peace treaty”.
“We have laid down our proposals consisting of five main
principles to the Armenian side. I do hope that the Armenian side
will also show political will and sign the peace treaty with
Azerbaijan on the basis of these fundamental principles recognized
by the international community. If this happens, peace will come to
the South Caucasus, and, at the same time, opportunities for
cooperation will emerge. Today, during the conversation, we also
exchanged views on the start of Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia
consultations. If the Armenian side is ready for them, we are
ready, too,” Ilham Aliyev reiterated, leaving no doubts that this
message was clearly heard in Armenia.
Georgia is well aware of Baku's importance and if the relations
between the two nations are expressed succinctly, it would be
sufficient to remember former Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili's statement made in Baku many years ago, addressing the
Azerbaijani president.
'If Azerbaijan did not stand behind us, I don't know where we
would be now and whether we would exist at all.'
In view of the current situation in Georgia, this is a wake-up
call for Armenia to think twice before ignoring Azerbaijan's sound
and sincere call for peace in the region.
Azerbaijan is a good friend that makes bad days much more
bearable and this is proved with regard to Georgia when it faced
serious risks, and Baku spared no efforts to support Tbilisi. The
messages of friendship and brotherhood, statements, based on
realities and statistics about the high-level development of
relations and the confident steps taken in the direction of raising
cooperation to the level of a strategic alliance, there are visible
indicators of the success of the current policy.
In 1997-98, under very difficult conditions, Azerbaijan managed
to build the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline and connect the Caspian Sea
with the Black Sea through the oil pipeline. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines,
which were built later, marked the peak of cooperation. Moreover,
it was a historical event in terms of laying the foundation of the
tripartite economic union in the example of Azerbaijan, Georgia,
and Turkey.
As a result of the construction and commissioning of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the volume of cargo passing through the
territory of our countries is increasing day by day. This project
is an important link to the Silk Road project, and Azerbaijan had
the final say in its realization, which is well-known in friendly
Georgia.
However, Baku and Tbilisi are not going to be satisfied with the
successes achieved so far, and this was once again clearly uttered
during the visit of the president to Georgia. Under the current
circumstances, Georgia is Azerbaijan's gateway to Europe. Over the
years, the neighboring country has been the destination of not only
Azerbaijan's oil and gas pipelines but also land and air
routes.
In this regard, Azerbaijan constantly emphasizes the importance
of Georgia. However, this cooperation is not only bilateral but
also of regional importance. Many implemented joint projects are of
special importance not only for our countries but also for the
region, Europe, and the world as a whole.
Azerbaijan intends to increase gas exports to world markets.
This year Azerbaijan will export 22bn cubic meters, next year it
will increase even more. The Memorandum on Strategic Partnership in
the field of energy, signed between the European Commission and
Azerbaijan in July 2022, indicates that Azerbaijan will double gas
exports to Europe in the next five years. It is planned that in
2027 Azerbaijan's gas export to Europe alone will reach 20 billion
cubic meters. At the same time, exports will be increased through
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline next year.
Just as Azerbaijan saved its neighbor from freezing 14 years
ago, it is now taking on the function of warming a number of
distant countries, which means a mission to serve humanity in
general. Azerbaijan is driven by the desire to help both Georgia,
Armenia and other nations in need of energy resources and the
collective efforts of interested states are vital in compelling
Armenia to realize this mission and reject its militaristic
policies and help with the establishment of permanent peace in the
wider region.
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