Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Tomasz Grodzki, the Marshal of the Polish Senate, during her current official visit to that country.

Greetings to the leader of the Milli Majlis were followed up by Tomasz Grodzki mentioning the intense importance that Poland attaches to furthering her relations with Azerbaijan and saying that the two countries have the relations that embrace many areas. The positive political dialogue has created good opportunities for co-operation between our friendly and partner countries in other areas as well, according to Mr Grodzki.

As he spoke of the centuries-old sound bonds between our nations, the Marshal of the Senate remembered that Poles had lived and worked in Azerbaijan in peace decades ago. The Polish literature contains the pieces telling about Azerbaijan. The friendly ties between our peoples stand on a solid platform.

Sahiba Gafarova thanked for the generous hospitality extended to the Azerbaijani delegation, described Poland as a friendly state and a partner, and underscored the importance of reciprocal visits of the state leaders and of the documents signed so far for the deepening of the links between our countries and peoples.

Azerbaijan supports territorial integrity of all countries. This is one of the basic principles of international law and a subject very much clear to Azerbaijan because 20% of our territory were occupied for almost thirty years. The four resolutions of the UN Security Council on immediate and unconditional liberation of those territories had not been acted upon for many years until Azerbaijan drove the invaders by herself in 2020, Mrs Gafarova continued.

Large-scale re-construction is afoot in the liberated territories. Sustainable towns and villages are being built in Garabagh and East Zangazur in line with the 'smart cities and villages' and 'green energy' concepts. One such village is Aghali where former displaced persons have been resettled already.

Azerbaijan wants peace and has urged Armenia to conclude a five-article peace agreement based on the basic principles of international law, but alas, Armenia still refuses to sign such a document.

Tomasz Grodzki said that Poland was behind every effort and initiative to bring peace to the South Caucasus.

Sahiba Gafarova, then, talked about the military-political provocations of Armenia that abuses the Lachin Road for military purposes as well as to export the mineral resources mined in the Azerbaijani territory illegally. The peaceful action by Azerbaijani civil activists continuing on the Lachin Road is precisely to protest against such illegal actions by Armenia. In the meantime, Armenia has been misleading the international community with false statements about the alleged closure of this road. Well, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis reiterated, the road is open for humanitarian purposes as is evidenced by the unimpeded passage of more than 6,000 vehicles, people in need of medical assistance and humanitarian goods by it. Sahiba Gafarova said also that an international airport is under construction in the Lachin Province of our country, to be the third of the kind in the liberated territories.

Mrs Gafarova referred to the advancement of the Azerbaijani-Polish relations both bilaterally and within the European Union, and said that Azerbaijan was is in the final stage of the negotiations concerning a new partnership agreement with the EU, what with over 90 per cent of the articles of the document accommodated already. Azerbaijan has strategic partnership documents signed with nine EU members including Poland. Our country plays a key role in maintaining the European energy security, besides.

The meeting also revolved round inter-parliamentary co-operation boosted by reciprocal visits and a fruitful dialogue, and exchanged views on co-operation between parliamentary committees. The legislature leaders spoke welcomed the possibility of contacts in that direction as well as the interaction between the parliamentary staffs and an exchange of experience in the future.

It was then said that our relations in the humanitarian sphere were in no way inferior to the political and economic ones. Representatives of the two countries jointly participate in various cultural events. The legislature leaders agreed that ties in the humanitarian field serve for further rapprochement of our nations.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis