Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov:

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear media representatives,

As you know, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia and my friend Miroslav Lajčák is visiting Azerbaijan. We had a tête-à-tête meeting, as well as a meeting with participation of the delegations. During the meetings we discussed the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the OSCE, also bilateral cooperation issues between our countries.

As you know, the OSCE is an important international organization. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs institute within this organization is responsible for the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I informed my counterpart about Azerbaijan’s position and we touched upon the issues discussed at the last negotiations and had a broad exchange on this regard. Mr. Lajčák informed me that he would visit Armenia next week. He underlined that the issues discussed with us would be touched upon in Armenia as well. In general, I would like to emphasize that everyone wants the peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I also stressed this issue at the international conference held today and I requested Mr. Lajčák to ask a question to the Armenian leadership during his visit to the country: What did Armenian people and Armenian citizens gain from the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijanis?! If they say at least one positive argument, perhaps we could have discussions on that regard. In addition to demographic, political and economic difficulties, this conflict has given nothing to the Armenian people. As you know, we have met four times at the level of foreign ministers, and Mr. President has met with the Prime Minister of Armenia three times. Every time we discuss these issues. The co-chairs are in the same position as well. The steps should be taken to resolve the conflict based on the Madrid Principles within international organizations, including the United Nations. The co-chairs highlight that the current status-quo is unacceptable. Azerbaijan is of the same position. The latest statements require preparing the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace, and we have done certain work in this direction and we continue our activities.

As you know, a German based non-governmental organization called Berlin Economics has prepared a report. This report clearly shows that if progress is made in the resolution of the conflict, only in the first year GDP will grow by five percent in Armenia and Azerbaijan and economic growth will be observed in both countries. I would advise you to get acquainted with this report.

We also touched upon the bilateral issues within the OSCE. We discussed the cooperation in energy sphere and transport issues. As you know, yesterday the First Special Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Turkmenistan on “Caspian Sea – Black Sea International Transport Route” was held and a new transport corridor was established. In this regard, the Bucharest Statement was signed; everything is mentioned there. It is noted that a ministerial meeting will be held once a year. We have also agreed to establish a working group to assist in transporting some goods through this corridor from China and Central Asia to Europe.

Thank you.


Q&A session:

1. Question: Slovakian Pravda Agency: Thank you. Two questions for the Ministers if I may. The final report of the OSCE ODIHR after last year’s presidential elections recommends bringing legislation on elections in compliance with international standards and also recommends an independent investigation of the election day. After issuing the report, were there any changes in the election legislative and was there any independent investigation? Because you also will have an election in 2020. So how much you are following the ODIHR report? And the question is for Minister Lajčák. Can the OSCE be somehow helpful in implementing the recommendations of this report?

Elmar Mammadyarov: According to the commitments taken by Azerbaijan, we are in cooperation with the ODIHR. By the way we discussed with Minister Lajčák today the opportunities to strengthen our cooperation with the ODIHR. An idea was introduced by Minister Lajčák on stronger cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ODIHR. I think it will be carefully considered and this proposal will be responded properly. With regard to the investigation, honestly speaking I do not remember such recommendation. Probably I missed it, I don’t know if we should investigate something. I have to check if there is such kind of request rather than immediately responding. There are a lot of recommendations, sometimes you can pick it up or drop it. So it is up to the decision of the sovereign state. But I don’t remember suck kind of investigation. I have to check. Thank you.

2. Question: Leyla Gurbanova, AZERTAC: What might be specific contribution of Slovakia to the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. I would like to know the position of the Chairperson-in-Office on the recent statements made by the Armenian political leadership, particularly attempts of the latter to change the format of the negotiations, stating non return of the occupied territories, as well as the continuation of the illegal settlement policy in the occupied territories.

The next question is to Minister Elmar Mammadyarov: Mr. Minister, how do you see the prospects of negotiations in the light of the recent groundless statements made by the Armenian leadership?

Elmar Mammadyarov: You have asked a very good question. We discussed these issues with Mr. Chairperson-in-Office. During our meeting we had broad discussions on our expectations from the negotiation process. Of course, as you heard, Mr. Lajčák made a positive statement. I would like to join this statement, but unfortunately the recent statements are not peace oriented. Especially, Azerbaijan officially discussed the statement of Artur Vanetsian, Director of the National Security Service of Armenia made by him in Nagorno-Karabakh. Today I discussed this issue with the Russian co-chair in a telephone conversation. Also, I informed the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office about this. Such statements harm the positive environment. On January 15 our meeting with the Foreign Minister of Armenia took place in Paris. On this basis, the co-chairs made a positive statement on the preparation of the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan to peace. The Azerbaijani side is working in this direction and will continue to work. On the other hand, you made it clear that while speaking on behalf of the Armenian leadership, as well as the statements made by the Prime Minister himself do not allow us to believe in the positive progress. I totally agree with you. We should also analyze ourselves in which direction we will go within the negotiations. I requested Mr. Lajčák to discuss all these issues while visiting Armenia next week. We need to know if we prepare the population to peace or work in another direction.

Thank you.