Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova discussed inter-state and inter-parliamentary relations of Azerbaijan and Romania as she met with President of the Senate of the Romanian Parliament Nicolae Ciucă on 10 October.

Nicolae Ciucă, who greeted Sahiba Gafarova warmly, said he trusted that her visit was going to contribute to the progress of the bilateral relations, including those between the two legislative assemblies. Mr Ciucă also referred to the strong friendly ties between the two countries and their co-operation in many areas.

The inter-state relations that are setting high standards afford fine opportunities to continue the advancement of inter-parliamentary co-operation included, according to Mr Ciucă who underlined the importance of contacts between the legislatures and their friendship groups. The Head of the Senate then talked about the significance of the current visit of the Milli Majlis Speaker for a discussion of the vectors of continued progress of our relations. He described the visit as a token of the high growth of our relations.

Mr Ciucă went further to say that he had visited Azerbaijan whilst holding various positions in the past; he shared his fine impressions from those travels.

There is a great development potential in the interaction between Azerbaijan and Romania in many areas including, but not limited to, energy, transport, health care and education. Azerbaijan’s support to the international community regarding energy security is self-evident, too, Mr Ciucă added.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said her thanks for the hospitality extended to the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation before saying that she believed her first visit to Romania as Chair of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan was bound to make an input in the broadening and strengthening of the relations between the two countries.

The topic of elevating the level of Azerbaijani-Romanian strategic partnership was raised as well. Besides, the two legislature speakers talked about the importance of high-status visits and meetings for the progress of the bilateral relations.

As for co-operation between the legislative assemblies, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis said that it was one of the crucial factors having a positive influence on the bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Romania. Reciprocal visits, too, lead to a continued progress of this co-operation. Sahiba Gafarova proceeded to underscore the available opportunity to deepen the inter-parliamentary co-operation via the parliaments’ committees and friendship groups. She then mentioned the successful co-operation between Azerbaijan and Romania in international organisations.

The Chair of the Milli Majlis informed the President of the Romanian Senate of the new situation in our region following the completion of the Patriotic War and of Azerbaijan’s having restored her territorial integrity consequent to the one-day anti-terrorist measures. Thought a victim to occupation, Azerbaijan herself initiated a peace discourse and called for the signing of a peace treaty resting on the five international law principles including respect for each other’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of the state borders recognised as such internationally. As she had said that, Sahiba Gafarova thanked the Romanian side for their unfailing support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Then, the Chair of the Milli Majlis talked about the Armenian side having resorted to political and military provocations, mined our lands – with the mines’ explosions having killed numerous military servicemen and civilians – and supported the separatism in our territory throughout the three years since Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War of 2020. Other facts of the same order were brought up as well. The period of occupation is a dark stain on Armenia’s history and eight Azerbaijani villages remain occupied by Armenia still, according to Sahiba Gafarova.

Azerbaijan’s local anti-terrorist measures, their outcomes and the arrangements to reintegrate the residents of Garabagh of Armenian extraction were discussed at the meeting as well.

Nicolae Ciucă witnessed his country’s constant support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, spoke of the ghastly consequences of the mining and expressed a hope that the negotiations would culminate in the signing of a peace treaty.

It should be mentioned that Sahiba Gafarova also made Nicolae Ciucă aware of Azerbaijan’s multiculturalism values and having preserved the heritage of different cultures and religions in her territory.

Other matters of shared interest were discussed during the meeting as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis