Today, the most powerful Azerbaijan in its history is perceived in the world as a country pursuing a completely independent policy, as a reliable partner. This factor has led to an increase in the country’s international authority and diversification of geopolitical and geo-economic ties over the past 20 years. The correct determination and implementation of foreign policy is of exceptional importance both in the past and today for Azerbaijan, which is located in a complex, sensitive region of the world, that is, at the intersection of West and East, at the junction of civilizations, and in strategic approaches at the intersection of global political and economic interests.
Thus, our country not only protects its national interests and status as a leading state in the region, but also builds mutually beneficial relations with the West, Islamic countries, the Turkic world and the political economic and cultural spaces of the Commonwealth of Independent States, expands international cooperation and equal partnership. Thanks to all this, Azerbaijan’s political and economic potential is gradually increasing, and its authority and position on the International policy scene is further strengthened.
Independent policy, cooperation with international organizations
Independent foreign policy is aimed at regularly strengthening and developing the statehood of Azerbaijan and protecting national interests. Most importantly, Azerbaijan has built its foreign policy on the basis of the norms and principles of international law, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and non-interference in internal affairs.
Guided by these principles and based on long-term national interests, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy serves the vital main purpose of eliminating threats and risks to the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security of the Republic. At the Regional level, achieving strategic goals such as establishing peace and stability in the region, implementing huge transport-transit and cooperation projects is one of the main priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
Attracting foreign investments to various projects for the development of the country’s economy in order to more effectively protect the interests of the Azerbaijani people in the globalizing modern world is also of exceptional importance in foreign policy. Azerbaijan, which has chosen the path of democratic progress, is determined to implement as fully as possible the common goal of establishing and developing equal and mutually beneficial relations with other states in various fields, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
At the same time, as an independent state, Azerbaijan has become a member of a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Independent States and many other organizations. Azerbaijan has also developed cooperation with organizations such as NATO and the European Union. With its participation in these organizations and regional initiatives, Azerbaijan has realized its national interests.
Azerbaijan, which has been a member of the UN, OSCE and OIC since 1992, was admitted to the Council of Europe in 2001 as a result of its consistent policy, established close relations with the European Union, NATO and other organizations, and implemented an active foreign policy to develop mutually beneficial relations within these organizations. Located in a very important geo-strategic location, Azerbaijan has created comprehensive conditions for the maximum benefit of both its and its partners from its position, and has taken necessary measures to ensure its national interests and security.
And the attitude towards Azerbaijan?!
Based on its national interests, principles of independent and balanced foreign policy, Azerbaijan has always managed to turn our country into a place of peace and cooperation for the development of regional states and the satisfaction of common interests, preferring models of cooperation based on equality of rights in international relations. The foreign policy strategy pursued by our country primarily envisages the development of healthy relations with the region and Western countries, the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation with all states and coalitions. Implementing a multi-vector foreign policy course, Azerbaijan managed to significantly protect itself from certain threats, maintain stability in the country and establish equal partnership relations with a number of countries of the world.
As for cooperation with international organizations, we can say that Azerbaijan has always preferred an effective model of work with the organizations of which it is a member. How our country fulfills its duties and obligations is reflected in all the documents of these bodies.
Have some international organizations responded adequately to Azerbaijan’s good-will initiatives and effective cooperation over the past 31 years?!
Let’s start first from the UN…
The implementation of any resolution and decision adopted by this organization, which has played a leading role in the peaceful settlement of conflict and controversial issues in the world since its inception, is carried out immediately. Examples of this are the rise of French fighter jets before the ink of the Security Council’s resolution on Libya, the bombing of the capital Tripoli and other facts. For some reason, we could not observe the flexibility of the UN Security Council member states, including France and the United States, in their approach to the former Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
The fact that the resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 adopted by the Security Council on the former Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remained on paper for 27 years was a real indicator of the cold attitude towards Azerbaijan and double standards. In these resolutions, the fact of occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Armed Forces was once again established. The organization once again emphasized the territorial inviolability of our republic, demanded an end to military operations and the unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, no action was taken against Armenia, nor any sanctions were applied. Of course, waiting for Armenia to fulfill the requirements of the UN resolutions and not taking coercive measures against it has seriously damaged the reputation of the UN. Azerbaijan demanded justice from this organization for 27 years, but nothing has changed.
The OSCE Minsk Group, established in the direction of settlement of the conflict, also took steps that served the interests of Armenia for 26 years. The co-chairs, who visited the region only as tourists, could not show the right way to resolve the conflict. Having the appropriate mandate, the Minsk Group did not play any role in resolving the conflict, but, on the contrary, led to the extension of the process by various means. Such an approach of the international organization prompted Armenia to continue its policy of occupation. This country achieved its desire by taking advantage of the atmosphere of impunity and maintaining the status quo, which had already perished and buried in the archives of history. He even provoked Azerbaijan by breaking the ceasefire on the former front line in order to suppress internal conflicts in the country at any time. And when he received a worthy answer, he resorted to political blackmail and began to vilify Azerbaijan. European organizations, which became the “Christian club”, as usual, made statements that stipulated the defense of the occupying country. One of those organizations was the Council of Europe.
In general, Azerbaijan, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, of which it has been a member since 2001, has taken measures to bring its national legislation in line with high international standards. Thus, Azerbaijan has established close relations with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, which contributes to the democratization of national legislation, signed the Convention and its protocols on the protection of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, which is the main document of the Council of Europe, on January 2001, 25, and ratified them on April 2002, 15.
When Azerbaijan became a member of the Council of Europe, our main goal and desire was for this organization to defend the Just Cause of our country and declare to the world that Armenia is an occupying state. However, when the issue was raised in this regard, any decisions and sanctions against Armenia were not adopted.
But in the end, Justice found its place. The most powerful Azerbaijan in its history carried out the implementation of those resolutions adopted by the UN with its military power. The historic victory once again showed the world the power and power of Azerbaijan by restoring justice. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have radically solved a problem that the UN Security Council and the co-chair States of the OSCE Minsk Group could not solve for almost 30 years, and perhaps did not want to do so. The event in question was the first time in the world since the foundation of the UN took place.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan destroyed the so-called terrorist regime in Karabakh and the 200-year-old Armenian adventure by fully ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity by carrying out anti-terrorist measures in accordance with all international norms on its territory and crossed out the dream of a “great Armenian”.
On April 23, 2023, after the establishment of a border crossing point by Azerbaijan in the sovereign territories of our country, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road, the Western institutions repeatedly asked Azerbaijan to cancel that border crossing point, and consequently, to withdraw from Armenia non- demanded that the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment for legal Armenian armed groups should not be prevented.
Immediately after the 23-hour anti-terrorist actions carried out by Azerbaijan against the attacks of the Armenian Armed Forces in the Karabakh region, our country created a portal for the reintegration of Armenian residents of Karabakh into the Azerbaijani state. Armenian residents wishing to live in the Karabakh region voluntarily applied to the portal for preliminary registration. All processes were carried out within the framework of legislation and continue to this day.
However, some Western states and organizations, led by France, have begun to implement new offensive tactics against Azerbaijan, which are trying to prevent the establishment of peace in the region. An important point is that the events caused by Europe against Azerbaijan have been taking place as a consistent and chain process lately. In other words, very serious, complex and insidious processes are taking place against Azerbaijan. Of course, it is known where all this comes from.
On January 17, the French Senate adopted a resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s military operation in Karabakh in September last year, calling for military support for Armenia and sanctions against Azerbaijan. No one doubts that this meaningless document was thrown at the instigation of the Armenian Lobby. It also proves that the government and Parliament of France have become a toy in the hands of the Armenians living there. They make the decision they want, guide this country on the wrong path they want. It is strange that the senators still do not understand that Azerbaijan has real power in the region. They do not understand that it is impossible to enter the region without permission from Azerbaijan, because it is he who has a big say here in all respects, and no project can be created without his participation.
Then the high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Relations and Security Policy, Vice-President of the EU Commission, Joseph Borel, began to unreasonably accuse our country, and finally the last game of pace gave the impression that a decision was made to go on a “crusade”against Azerbaijan in Europe.
Pace has finally officially confirmed that it has become an instrument in the hands of states such as France and Germany at the beginning of 2024. Because this organization, concerned about the eradication of separatism, the elimination of occupation, the provision of state sovereignty throughout the country and the restoration of the rights of more than one million people expelled from their homes, once again took a senseless and dirty initiative to freeze the voice of Azerbaijan. Against the background of the intolerable climate of racism, azerbaijanophobia and Islamophobia existing here, the Azerbaijani delegation decided to suspend cooperation with pace and justified participation in the organization indefinitely. This was not the decision of the delegation, but of the whole of Azerbaijan. Our delegation suspended its participation in ECPA, saying that” no one in the world can speak to Azerbaijan in the language of threats and blackmail.”
The right path of ECPA and Azerbaijan, which serves the selfish interests of certain groups
In fact, it is clear to everyone that this is a continuation of the same scenario. Because, when ECPA put forward the initiative to dispute the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation, they allegedly connected it with the fact that they were not invited to accompany the elections to be held in Azerbaijan on February 7, and the presence of “political prisoners” in the country, but the main reason was that they could not come to terms with the fact of the liberation of Karabakh and the full restoration of sovereignty. , comes from the policy of supporting Armenia by all means.
In other words, the reason is not related to the fact that Azerbaijan did not invite ECPA observers to observe the extraordinary presidential elections to be held on February 7, as claimed by the “author” of this idea, MP Frank Schwabe from Germany, and it is completely different. The main reason is that Azerbaijan has achieved great global and regional successes one after the other in recent years, implemented huge global projects, and fulfilled what an influential body such as the UN Security Council, which unites the 5 power centers of the world, could not solve in 30 years. From November 2020 until now, all this has been a pain for the ECPA, which has been playing the role of the ideological and legislative mouthpiece of the West, especially France, Germany, and the European Union.
Azerbaijan is becoming stronger, becoming a center of speech and power, and its international reputation is increasing. This is what angers the “democrats” who say black and white like France, Germany and ECPA!
As stated in the statement adopted by the Executive Committee of the Confederation of Azerbaijan Trade Unions regarding the biased position of ECPA against our country, the rightful decision of our delegation, the events once again confirm that this organization is based on the interests of countries such as France and Germany, and has become a tool of political pressure in their hands. . This Western institution shows a more hypocritical and hypocritical position in relation to Azerbaijan. Targeting Azerbaijan, which opens wide opportunities for the comprehensive development of the region, and creating artificial obstacles to its peace efforts indicate the plans of this institution. It seems clear that Azerbaijan’s day-by-day development, growing economic power, and implementation of a completely independent policy are worrying some countries of the world, including France and Germany. Acting under the dictates of these countries, ECPA plays a leading role in the implementation of anti-Azerbaijani and double standards. In order to hinder Azerbaijan, attempts are made to interfere in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan by various dirty means, especially by the hands of regional and international organizations, efforts are made to overshadow the cause of justice, and decisions full of prejudice and slander are made. With such decisions, in fact, the true essence of the institution is revealed, it is lost from the eyes of the world community.
In a word, all this suggests that the goal is the integrity, sovereignty and Karabakh of Azerbaijan!
For this reason, the decision of the Azerbaijani delegation to suspend cooperation with ECPA and participation in the organization for an indefinite period is considered correct and welcomed by the country’s public. It is obvious to everyone that ECPA acts as a “Christian club” and a diaspora organization, hiding under the guise of a human rights defender, and serving the selfish interests of certain groups, leaving aside its functions. Also, since there is no more place for ECPA-type organizations in the world, and it does not meet the requirements of the time, cooperation with this organization is irrelevant and nothing but a waste of time.
This weak behavior of ECPA towards our country will not change anything. Because Azerbaijan is a strong state, the leader of the region, and as an extremely important and useful country for the world, including Europe, is expanding its relations and opportunities day by day. No state or organization can speak to our country in the language of threats and threats. Let them know that Azerbaijan will successfully continue its independent and sovereign policy. Despite this systematic activity launched in Europe against our country, Azerbaijan does not intend to make any changes in its policy and position. Azerbaijan’s policy is primarily based on the country’s national interests and norms of international law.
It should be known to ECPA, the European Union, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and countries like France and Germany that whether they want it or not, they will be forced to accept the new realities that Azerbaijan has brought to the region. Azerbaijan implements a completely independent policy based on truth and justice. Their empty opinions against Azerbaijan, their inappropriate initiatives, and their meaningless decisions will have no consequences. ECPA and other organizations and states in the same position should understand the regional and global importance of Azerbaijan. They should understand that they need Azerbaijan more.
Sattar MOHBALIYEV,
Member of the Milli Majlis,
Chairman of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation