Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 19 January with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Czech Republic to our country Milan Sedláček, congratulated him on the start of his diplomatic mission in the Republic of Azerbaijan and wished him success in his work.

Recalling the thirtieth anniversary of the Azerbaijani-Czech diplomatic relations due this year, the Chair of the Milli Majlis said that the friendly ties between the two countries had negotiated a path of successes and progress during the years past. Our two states have signed many co-operation documents and a declaration of strategic partnership. Reciprocal high-level visits including those by the heads of the two states have factored importantly in the progress of the relationship, according to Mrs Gafarova.

The bilateral relations encompass many areas, not least fruitful political, economic and humanitarian co-operation whilst the inter-parliamentary linkage represents a substantial facet of the overall interaction scope. Having touched up on the work done by the two friendship groups then, Mrs Gafarova underlined the pressing need to give attention to promoting inter-parliamentary relations given that those serve to bring the two nations closer whilst also pushing the inter-state bonds further.

Going further, Mr Sedláček was made aware of our country’s glorious victory in the 44-day Patriotic War as well as of the fact that the resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international bodies demanding de-occupation of Azerbaijani lands had remained on paper for long years until Azerbaijan had carried them out by her very self in the end. Mrs Gafarova also told the Czech diplomatist of the new situation established across the region with the restoration of our territorial wholeness and, in great detail, of the extensive restoration and construction afoot in the liberated provinces. It was Azerbaijan to initiate a détente and normalisation with Armenia precisely as it is Azerbaijan now offering to sign a peace accord that would rest on the five fundamental principles of international law, whereas Armenia is being subversive at negotiations and breaking the stipulations of the Trilateral Declaration blatantly. Neither has Armenia fully withdrawn its armed forces from the Azerbaijani lands. What is more, Armenia continues mining our territories and putting spokes in the wheels of the process that would restart regional communications and get transport routes unblocked.

Chair Gafarova placed a special stress on the Armenian abuse of the Lachin Road to military ends having gone on for longer than two years. She emphasised as much Armenia’s transporting mines, ammunition and military force by that road – whilst also abusing it to export Azerbaijan’s own natural resources plundered Azerbaijan’s own soil. Azerbaijani civil activists and environmentalists had started a protest action on the Lachin-Khankendi motorway in response, and this rally continues today. Azerbaijani citizens exercise their legitimate right to protest against illegal economic activities and the plundering of mineral resources in the Azerbaijani areas where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed – as well as against the abuse of the Lachin Road, Sahiba Gafarova was saying. The protesters' just demands must be met, she stressed. Unfortunately, Armenia, as always is its wont, manipulates the Lachin Road events and makes false claims about the road’s blockade by the Azerbaijani side; such claims are made in order to mislead the international community, whereas all those claims about Azerbaijan allegedly obstructing the Lachin Road, blockading the Armenians living in Azerbaijani territories and a humanitarian crisis on the rise are utterly unfounded. The Lachin Road is open for the passage of civilians and civilian goods; the daily passage of dozens of vehicles, peacekeepers, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and emergency ambulances of no other party but Armenia itself refutes the Armenian side's claims that do not have a leg to stand on.

Milan Sedláček thanked Sahiba Gafarova for the warm reception before saying that his main goal was to contribute to the advance of the Czech-Azerbaijani relations with a special stress on economic ties. A number of events are slated on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of our diplomatic relations, too, according to the Czech ambassador.

Mr Sedláček touched on promoting bilateral interaction in various areas such as the energy sector, to mention but one. He also mentioned the growing volumes of trade. Besides, Mr Sedláček underscored the significance of our inter-parliamentary collaboration, saying that reciprocal visits could be help in taking it further.

There was also an exchange of opinions about several matters of shared interest as the conversation continued.

The Press and Public Relations Department  
The Milli Majlis