The leader of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova who is in St Petersburg on a working visit currently has had a conversation with Chair of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko on the margins of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly’s 55^th plenum.

Inter-parliamentary co-operation’s turning into an efficient mechanism to use to make the ties between the Commonwealth states yet stronger and the fact that the IPA plays a substantial role in the achievement of this stage were both underscored during the meeting.

As for the bilateral diplomatic relations that turned thirty last year, incidentally, they continue growing with reliance on good neighbourhood and mutual understanding, respect and trust in line with the joint agenda which is defined by the state heads of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Russian Federation and which serves the cause of deepening the relations. The role of heads of state in this growth is great. The declaration of allied interaction signed during the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to RF in February last year set in motion the transition of our relations to a new level, it was also pointed out during the conversation.

The economics of the bilateral interaction including of mutual investments indicate the success of the work being done together whilst our humanitarian connexions also constitute an important facet of the on-going co-operation.

This year is the centenary of the Azerbaijani people’s National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Valentina Matviyenko said in this regard that the memory of Heydar Aliyev is treasured in Russia as well and that numerous events were slated in RF on the occasion of this anniversary.

The special part that the two states’ legislatures have to play in the progress of the two-way ties was mentioned as well. The two parliament leaders lauded the work done by the friendship groups of the Milli Majlis and the Federal Assembly as well as by the Permanent Bilateral Inter-Parliamentary Commission. Sahiba Gafarova recalled her official visit to RF in February this year, adding that the memorandum of understanding between the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation signed during it was contributing to strengthening the parliamentary component of the bilateral relations.

Speaker Gafarova also told of Azerbaijan's large-scale re-construction and revival work in her liberated territories, the ‘Grand Return’ programme, the repatriation of the former IDPs and that a third international airport, in Lachin, is now being built on these now-free lands.

Armenia has still not withdrawn its troops from Azerbaijani territories in flagrant violation of the provisions of the well-known Trilateral Statement. What is more, Armenia is abusing the Lachin Road for military purposes and to smuggle our natural resources looted by them over here out of Azerbaijan. Therefore, representatives of Azerbaijan’s civil society are holding a peaceful protest on this road while Armenia is trying to mislead the international community with false claims about the alleged blockade of the same road, Sahiba Gafarova was saying.

Taking advantage of the current presence of the European Union mission in its territory, Armenia has taken steps to escalate the situation and has resorted to military provocations.

As she spoke of the Armenian armed provocation of 11 April, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis pointed out that such subversions flew in the teeth of serious international calls for peace treaty conversations and signify that Armenia is uninterested in the peace process as such. Armenia flouts the norms and principles of international law; not only do Armenia’s aggravations targeting Azerbaijan violate our country’s territorial wholeness and sovereignty, but they also pose grave threats to regional peace and security. This course of action on Armenia’s part needs to be severely condemned therefore, according to Sahiba Gafarova.

The meeting went on; the two legislature leaders exchanged views upon other matters and topics of shared interest as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis