From the talk of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Tony Blair - London, 21 July, 1998

Tony Blair: Mr. President Aliyev, I warmly greet you and express my gratitude for accepting my invitation to pay an official  visit to  Great Britain.

I always recollect our previous meetings with great pleasure. I state that it is a great honour for me to meet and hold negotiations with such an outstanding statesman as Heydar Aliyev.

Heydar Aliyev: Mr. Prime Minister, first of all, I appreciate You for the invitation, sincere words, hospitality and declare that I am also pleased to meet you.

Tony Blair: I will mention that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Great Britain is on a satisfactory level. We attach great importance to the steady development of the economic and political contacts.

Great Britain shows special interest in the Caucasus and  the Central Asia and I have to inform you that Azerbaijan plays a key role in this region. I shall also mention that the United Kingdom aspires to step up political and strategic partnership relations with Azerbaijan.

I want to express my confidence that the joint declaration on friendship and cooperation to be signed together with Heydar Aliyev will open great prospects for speedier expansion of mutually beneficial contacts between our countries. I will stress that after the victory of the Labour Party in the elections, the policy of Great Britain in respect of Azerbaijan has not changed. The new government attaches special value to greater approachment of contacts with the Republic of Azerbaijanand Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan has a greate strategic significance in the Caspian region. We regard Azerbaijan and President Heydar Aliyev our strategic ally. The new government of Britain shows great interest in the gradual development of contacts with Azerbaijan in the fields of economy, politics and security.

Mr. President, I am confident that your official visit as the head of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan will open a new stage for even greater expansion of cooperation between our countries. The government of Great Britain attentively follows and welcomes the work done within the last five years under your wise leadership in establishing a democratic, legal and secular state in Azerbaijan.

I emphasize the important role of the democratic reforms which play an important role in the protection of independence and sovereignty play in your republic and stress once more the achievements of recent years in your country which has chosen the road of the market relations in the economy.

I also want to mention that the historical contracts signed for joint oil developments in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea will play the vital role in the integration of the economy of the  independent state into the world economy. I note with satisfaction that all this is due to the priceless merits of President Heydar Aliyev. I express my deep gratitude to You for the excellent conditions provided for the implementation of wide activity by the British companies in Azerbaijan.

The economic cooperation between our states creates a solid base for the improvement of interstate contacts between the Azerbaijan Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Close participation of British companies in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea has a special significance both for the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan.

I want to stress, that new contracts to be signed between the British companies and SOCAR on joint oildevelopments in the Azerbaijan oilfields have great prospective for cooperation between our countries. I will also point out that the signature of such important and significant contracts in other spheres is also necessary.

I declare that Great Britain will render assistance to Azerbaijan for being represented in the European structures. We shall undertake necessary efforts, so that your country, having gained the guest status in the Council of Europe, will be affiliated as a full member of this Council and Azerbaijan can fully count on the thorough support of Great Britain in this matter.

I highly appreciate the interest of your independent state in the integration into Europe and emphasize the importance of enhancement of cooperation in the context of the NATO program “Partnership for Peace”. We are ready to render assistance to Azerbaijan in it as well.

I highly appreciate that your country gives preference  to export the oil extracted in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to the world market via several route. The oil export via several route is very useful both from the standpoint of reliability and security of the  pipeline and from economic standpoint.

I declare that Great Britain is also for the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Our country recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. There are the standards of the international law and invariable principles of the United Nations Organization and the OSCE and they should be observed.

I remind once again that Great Britain voted for the principles of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict settlement adopted at the OSCE Lisbon Summit in 1996 and state my confidence that this conflict will be settled soon.

The abolition of death penalty in Azerbaijan is estimated as a big step towards the protection of human rights and I welcome the decree signed by President Heydar Aliyev in this regard. The European countries highly appreciate the adherence of Azerbaijan to the western values.

Taking into account that your country is as a state of special significance in Caucasian region and Central Asia, the government of Great Britain decided to intensify the activity of the embassy of Great Britain to Azerbaijan. Mr. President, I ask you to provide conditions necessary for it.

I would like to be informed on the present socio-political situation in Azerbaijan and about the process of negotiations held within the  Minsk Group of OSCE for  the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict. I highly appreciate the work carried out in Azerbaijan for the restoration of the ancient Silky Road within the framework of TRASEKA program of the European Union and emphasize that the Europe-Caucasean-Asian  main line has great prospects.

Heydar Aliyev: Mr.Prime Minister! I express my sincere gratitude to you for the warm words about our country. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the continual improvement of relations with this very authoritative European state and steady development of cooperation. I express my satisfaction with the present level of interstate and intergovernmental contacts with Great Britain after our republic gained independence.

I recollect with satisfaction my first visit to London in February, 1994, as well as the negotiations and meetings held then. I emphasize that the documents signed then played an important role in strengthening of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Great Britain.

I highly appreciate the achievement of positive progress in the country by the Labour Party, which came to power in Great Britain through as a result of the victory at the last parliamentary elections. I recollect with satisfaction the negotiations and meetings held heretofore with Tony Blair.

Mr. Blair, I declare that I am satisfied with the official visit to London at your invitation and I am confident that the meetings and negotiations held here, as well as the documents to be signed will open a new stage in the consistent development of the links between Azerbaijan and Great Britain.

I think that my meeting with Her Majesty Queen of Great Britain today as historical event. We spoke in detail about the issues necessary to be solved for expanding mutually beneficial contacts between our countries, in particular, the cooperation in the sphere of science, education and culture.

I highly appreciate that Great Britain, especially, Prime Minister Tony Blair attach great significance to the expansion of cooperation with Azerbaijan in all the spheres. We are very satisfied that a state which has such a strong influence on the world policy, shows great interest in our country, and in our turn, we shall take necessary measures for the constant development of these contacts.

I recollect with satisfaction the thought of Prime Minister Tony Blair about increasing the staff of the embassy of Great Britain to Azerbaijan, and I declare that we shall  will create all the conditions for the activity of the embassy.

I declare that I am highly satisfied with the positive estimation of the government of Great Britain concerning the progress attained within the last years in Azerbaijan which has chosen the way of democratic development and market relations, in the construction of legal, democratic and secular state and in the implementation of reforms. I declare that the first democratic constitution was adopted in our republic in 1995. The parliament, represented by all the political parties, was formed.

At the same time, serious steps in the area of economic reforms were taken in our country and I declare that our country attaches great importance to close integration of its economy into the world economy. I want to stress that a number of measures was taken in the  republic for joint development of rich deposits. In 1994, we concluded the first contract on joint oil developments of the deposits in the  Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea together with the biggest foreign oil companies by signing “Contract of century”. The BP of Great Britain has also a big share in this contract. Then the interest of foreign countries in Azerbaijan started to grow and new historical contracts were signed one after another.

I remind that numerous companies from various countries work in Azerbaijan. I want to mention with satisfaction that over 100 British companies  participate in the economy of our country.

Azerbaijan attaches great preference to the export of oil to the world markets via different routes. Much work is done today for the implementation of the contracts concluded on joint oil developments  in the Azerbaijan Sector of the Caspian Sea. At the same time, the route of pipelines for transportation of oil to the world market must be precisely terminated  and the construction of the pipelines must be fulfilled. Therefore  it necessary to lay the main  oil pipeline via the Baku-Jeihan across the territory of Georgia and Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea.

After this meeting, I believe that several other contracts with the British companies will be sighned deposits  “Araz”, “Alov”, “Sharg” and “Inam” in the Azerbaijani Sector of the Caspian Sea, as well as the onshore “Muradkhanly” “Jafarli” and “Zardab” deposits have rich resources. I express my confidence that these contracts will give a new impulse to the expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Great Britain.

I believe that the joint statement on friendship and partnership to be signed by President of the Azerbaijan Republic Heydar Aliyev and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will open great perspectives for closer approachment of mutually beneficial contacts between our countries in all the spheres. I highly estimate the draft of the document to be signed between the administration power of Baku and the British “Morisson” on the construction of hotels and business centers in our capital.

I express my satisfaction with the attention of Great Britain, which occupies  a significant place in the world policy and is  one of the most influential  states of Europe, to the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

I want to say a few words about the history, reasons of this conflict and about the present state of negotiations within the framework of the Minsk Group of OSCE. You know that as early as 1998, Armenia committed a military aggression against our country with the purpose to seize the part of Azerbaija,that is  - Nagorno-Karabakh, and annex it to Armenia. However, the Soviet government did not take necessary measures to prevent this conflict. Later it led to the Armenian-Azerbaijan war. As a result, 20 percent of the Azerbaijan territory was occupied by the Armenian armed forces, over a million Azerbaijani citizens were forcedly banished from their native lands and live now in hard conditions in tents.

In the May of 1994, we signed a agreement on the suspension of military operations that is a cease-fire with Armenia. The cease-fire regime is being observed for four years. But it does not mean that there is peace. Within all this period, we take effective steps for the peaceful settlement of this conflict. However, Armenia takes a destructive position. The principles of settlement of this conflict were terminated at the Lisbon Summit of OSCE in 1996. Three principles were determined: the recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Armenia; granting a high status of self-adminisstation to Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan and providing the security of all the population of   Nagorno-Karabakh. We agreed with these principles although they did not satisfy us completely. We wanted to settle the problem peacefully. However, Armenia took a non-constructive position at the Lisbon Summit  OSCE and did not agree with these principles. As a result, 53 out of 54 member-states of OSCE voted for, Armenia against.

Since then these three principles remain as the basis for the solution of the issue. To implement them, we adopted the last proposals of the co-chairs of the Minsk group - the USA, France and Russia. However, Armenia ignores the decisions and resolutions of international organizations, international legal standards, conventional principles and the proposals of the most authoritative states of the world for the immediate settlement of the conflict. Mr. Prime Minister, I express my satisfaction that Great Britain supports  the just cause of Azerbaijan in the international organizations and forums.

We think that at the moment that, the peaceful settlement of the conflict can be implemented in two stages. It is also proposed by the Minsk Group. For greater clearness, I want to demonstrate you the map of Azerbaijan. Have a look, the territories occupied by the Armenian armed forces are indicated on the map. This is the territory of Armenia and this is the territory of Nakhichevan. Nagorno-Karabakh is indicated in red colour. It is a province of Azerbaijan. The districts of Azerbaijan occupied around Nagorno-Karabakh are indicated in green and yellow. We think and it is also proposed by the Minsk Group that the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces form the territories painted with green colour, return of refugees and location of  peacemaking troops of the OSCE there for the solution of the confilict should be fulfilled at the first stage. The withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Lachin and Shusha districts and at the same time, the termination of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh as provided by the Lisbon Summit, should be fulfilled at the second stage.

We want peace and the conflict should be settled peacefully. However, we cannot give even a patch of our land to another country. It is our firm and principal position. We shall never step back from this position.

I declare that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the participation in  the European structures as a full member. I accept with appreciation the desire of the United Kingdom government to assist our republic in this issue.. I stress that the significant work has been done in our young independent state in the sphere protection of human rights, as well as in strengthening democratic principles and political pluralism.

Azerbaijan is at the threshold of presidential elections. The constitution of our country and law on elections create conditions for holding quite democratic, free and fair elections.

Azerbaijan, which occupies its worthy place in the world community attaches special significance to the efficient work of the Europe-Caucasus- Asia rout. The prospects of the Silky Road are indicated on the map here.

Mr. Prime Minister I have to inform you that on September 7-8, this year, an international conference is to be held in our republic within the framework of TRASEKA program with the support of the European Union. I invite you to take part in international event.

Tony Blair: I accept this invitation with pleasure. The government of Great Britain attaches great importance to the restoration of the ancient Silky Road and the delegation of our government will certainly take at this event.

Over 100 companies of Great Britain work in Azerbaijan. I think it is a good basis for our cooperation. Therefore, we attach great importance to this conference and we are confident that it will be useful for all the member-states.

Heydar Aliyev: Mr. Prime Minister I express my gratitude once more for the official invitation to visit the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I am confident that the meetings, as well as the documents to be signed will play an important role in the development of contacts between our states in all the spheres.

I appreciate You for the sincere talk. I invite you once more to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan.

Tony Blair: Mr. President, I accept this invitation with great satisfaction.

“Heydar Aliyev: Our independence is eternal” (speeches, statements, interviews, letters, appeals, decrees) - Azerneshr, Baku - 2005, vol.16, p.337-346