Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with the Speakers of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Natalia Kochanova and Igor Sergeenko, respectively, in the context of her official visit to that country.

First, the Speakers talked separately.

After that, the meeting continued in the enlarged format with the participation of the delegations.

Warmly welcoming the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan, Speaker of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova expressed confidence that this visit of the Speaker of the Milli Majlis would inject a further momentum in our relations. Azerbaijan and Belarus are not only partner countries: the relations between the two countries rest on the principles of friendship and fraternity, covering all spheres, she said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Ihar Serheenka also expressed contentment with the existing level of relations between our countries and parliaments, noting that the ties between the two nations have deep historical roots, and today the relations between our countries stand on this solid foundation.

The Speakers underlined the distinguished role of the high-level relations between the two Heads of State in the advancement of the current high-level ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus. It was emphasised that the visits and signed documents at the highest and high level had ensured a further deepening of the relations. It was also said that the increase in the number of reciprocal visits made at various levels in recent years also demonstrates the elevated level of our relations.

Azerbaijan and Belarus have signed approximately 150 documents to date; those encompass matters of political, economic, social, humanitarian, academic and engineering, and regional collaboration, and have provided a solid foundation for the bilateral relations’ evolution. The Speakers also underscored the need to deepen the co-operation in various areas further and commented on the existing relevant opportunities.

The importance of the collaboration on international platforms constituting a substantial area of our relations was stressed, too; it was said that our countries also had the experience of successful co-operation in international organisations. The two countries have been supporting each other across a number of issues on the international platforms to date.

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova said that although Azerbaijan and Belarus are not close geographically, high level relations based on mutual respect and trust have been established between them and their peoples. The relations between our parliaments are also based on these principles.

Satisfaction was then expressed with the successful co-operation of the two legislatures, bilaterally as well as in the inter-parliamentary organisations. Speaker Sahiba Gafarova pointed up the importance of co-operating in the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement as a facet of international activities.

The Memorandum of Understanding about Co-operation signed between our parliaments was brought up as well; it was said that the Memorandum had promoted the growth of the interparliamentary relations. Reciprocal visits, close contacts between the friendship groups and interaction arrangeable between parliamentary committees with diverse specialities could bring about a yet greater broadening of our ties.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova mentioned Azerbaijan’s having suffered from occupation for 30 years and having restored in 2020 her territorial integrity at the cost of victory won by her own force, and then having ensured her sovereignty as a result of local anti-terrorist measures conducted last year. It was said that all our cities and neighbourhoods, infrastructure, historical and cultural monuments as well as temples were completely destroyed and looted during the occupation. Then, Sahiba Gafarova informed her colleagues about the large-scale reconstruction and construction works currently underway in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from occupation. That work is based on the Smart City and Smart Village concepts. She also lauded the agreement on the participation of Belarusian companies in the reconstruction works in the deoccupied Azerbaijani territories.

 The prominent level of the links in humanitarian co-operation as well as in culture affairs was touched on during the conversation. It was said that it played a special role in bringing our peoples closer together. The amity of our nations is of tremendous significance. Saying that this year marks 80 years since the liberation of Belarus from the Nazism invasion and that Azerbaijanis, too, had displayed valour during the liberation of the Belarusian lands, the Belarusian colleagues emphasised that their nation never forgot but always appreciated that highly. They also talked about the importance of such moves as the mutual Culture Days and the signing of twinning agreements amongst our towns.

The conversation then touched on the 29^th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – the COP29. Speaker Sahiba Gafarova invited the colleagues to participate in the Parliamentary Conference to be held by the Milli Mejlis jointly with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the margins of the COP29.

The meeting also saw an exchange of views on other matters of shared interest.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis