Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 24 August with the inbound delegation led by the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Korea, Chairman of the Special Committee for Busan’s bid to host the Expo-2030 and Chairman of the Korea-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group So Byong Song.

Sahiba Gafarova told the guests that she was glad to welcome them at the Milli Majlis, voiced her confidence in her visit’s contributing to the advancement of the bilateral relations eventually, recalled the well-evolved connexions in diverse areas and mentioned the bilateral diplomatic relations turning thirty years in 2022.

She also stressed the special impulse to the deepening relations of the two states and nations generated by the reciprocal visits of the state leaders and high-ranking officials. The visits of President Ilham Aliyev to Korea were mentioned, too.

Further, the Chair of the Milli Majlis talked about the implementation of the ‘Smart Town’, ‘Smart Village’ and ‘Green Energy Zone’ projects started upon the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev in our territories liberated consequent to the Patriotic War. Mrs Gafarova pointed out Azerbaijan’s corresponding interest in joining forces with Korean companies. A ‘smart village’ project has been accomplished in the village of Agali in the de-occupied Zanghilan Province of Azerbaijan; the return of the erstwhile IDPs to their native lands has begun already, according to the Chair of the Milli Majlis.

Having touched upon the inter-parliamentary links accounting for a powerful section of inter-state relations, Sahiba Gafarova expressed her satisfaction with the work done by the friendship groups of the legislative assemblies of the two countries and with the co-operation arranged amongst Azerbaijani and Korean MPs. She also stressed the need to intensify such contacts further.

The guests were then told about Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day Patriotic War with the consequent liberation of Azerbaijani territories from under the invaders’ heel as well as about the great pains our country is taking to establish a lasting peace in our region. Right now, Azerbaijan is busy eliminating the grim consequences of the three decades of the Armenian occupation of her lands – the lands that have been given a new lease of life already, according to Mrs Gafarova who also told the Koreans that Armenia had been eschewing the obligations imposed on it by the Trilateral Statement even though the war had ended almost two years ago. In particular, Armenia is dragging its feet on the intended launch of the Zangazur Corridor. Still, Azerbaijan is a peace advocate; we trust that a peace treaty would be signed between the two countries soon enough, Mrs Gafarova pointed out.

Thanking for this meeting, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Korea and Chairman of the Korea-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group So Byong Song mentioned his visit to our country in 2009 and the great impression her fast progress and changes realised under the guidance of the Head of State by the time of this second coming to Azerbaijan had left upon him. Mr So Byong Song added that he was proud of the changes and the progress, too.

The Republic Korea gives Azerbaijan much importance; the ROK leadership are keen on continuing the strengthening of the versatile ties with Azerbaijan, especially, in ecology, climatic change affairs and implementation of the ‘smart town’ type projects, according to the Korean envoy who also talked about the importance of continued development of the inter-parliamentary bonds, which, to his mind, calls for a more intensive exchange of visits.

Other matters of shared interest were broached during the conversation, too.

The leader of the Azerbaijan-Korea inter-parliamentary connexions working group Malik Hasanov, Chief of the Milli Majlis Staff Farid Hajiyev, the ambassador of the ROK in Baku Lee Eun Yong and other officials took part in the meeting as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis