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KARABAKH CONFLICT CAUSE FOR SERIOUS CONCERN - SWEDISH MINISTER
news.az
Sept 12 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az reprints from APA the interview with Swedish Foreign Minister
Carl Bildt.
This year you paid first official visit to Azerbaijan. How do you
estimate the results of the visit, and what are the prospects of
development bilateral relations between Sweden and Azerbaijan?
The visit provided an excellent opportunity for me to engage with
Azeri partners in a dialogue on a broad set of issues, both bilateral
and pertaining to the to EU agenda. One important message from the
Azeri side was their continued commitment to internal reform and
integration with the EU. We also talked about the need for Azerbaijan
to step up its efforts in the fields of human rights, democracy and
good governance.
I reminded the Azerbaijani Government of the importance of the
upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in this respect. In the coming year
the European audience, and especially the younger generation, will pay
much more attention to Azerbaijan, and the clear expectation will be
that Azerbaijan lives up to the high European standards in respecting
the fundamental rights of its citizens. I had the opportunity to
reiterate these points in talks also with representatives of civil
society and the political opposition.
As far as the bilateral agenda is concerned, there is a great potential
for increased cooperation. Our trade and commercial links should be
developed further. During my visit, I also took good note of a strong
wish to work together in the education sector, something that has
already resulted in a visit of a Ministerial delegation to Sweden.
With our common history linked to the BraNobel heritage, we have a firm
basis for developing our bilateral ties. Incidentally, the Eurovision
Song Contest is a good illustration of successful Azerbaijani-Swedish
cooperation!
How does Sweden assess the ongoing developments on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in the region? Do you believe that there were sufficient
efforts to advance the peace process although the negotiations went
into deadlock?
Clearly, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a cause for serious concern,
with implications not only for the two countries involved, but for the
entire region and the international community. We must all encourage
Azerbaijan and Armenia to find a peaceful solution, and Sweden supports
the efforts of the Minsk Group. But it is fundamental to point out
that peace cannot be achieved in the negotiating rooms only.
The two parties will have to refrain from aggressive rhetoric and
instead build support for peace among their populations. The EU must
support the process and demonstrate to the peoples in the region that
there are important gains to be made from pursuing a peaceful path.
How do you evaluate the economic cooperation of Azerbaijan and the
European market? What is the most attractive for Swedish investors
in Azerbaijani market?
There is scope for increased economic cooperation between EU and AZ,
also to encompass other sectors than energy. The accession of AZ
to the WTO and a free trade agreement with the EU could facilitate
closer cooperation.
A growing interest in Azerbaijan among Swedish investors can be
discerned. As of today, only a few Swedish enterprises are present in
the market. TeliaSonera and Ericsson are some examples. Sweden hopes
to develop closer business relations with Azerbaijan. We are planning
for a visit of a Swedish trade delegation before the end of the year.
Since the energy sector is of prime importance to the Azeri economy,
there is great scope for cooperation in green energy technology,
energy efficiency and renewables.
What is your opinion on promotion of the "Eastern Partnership" program,
considering that Sweden was one of the initiators of it?
The Eastern Partnership aims to strengthen and deepen contacts
and cooperation with the six Eastern European countries, including
Azerbaijan. The EaP - with EU integration at the core - is a clear
expression of solidarity and long-term engagement from the EU's side.
Moreover, the EaP has helped mobilize attention to the Eastern
neighborhood amongst EU's 27 member states. With the EaP, the EU as a
whole has renewed its focus on Eastern Europe and has rallied around
an ambitious agenda for the countries in question.
The EaP has firmly placed the Eastern partners at the top of the EU
agenda - and rightly so. With the EaP, the countries in question are
offered greater political and economic integration with the EU. In
return, the countries must adhere to the values that underpin the
European cooperation and progress on internal reforms. The up-coming
second Eastern Partnership Summit on 29-30 November in Warsaw will
be a good opportunity to take stock of progress made so far, and to
set new policy goals for the future.
news.az
Sept 12 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az reprints from APA the interview with Swedish Foreign Minister
Carl Bildt.
This year you paid first official visit to Azerbaijan. How do you
estimate the results of the visit, and what are the prospects of
development bilateral relations between Sweden and Azerbaijan?
The visit provided an excellent opportunity for me to engage with
Azeri partners in a dialogue on a broad set of issues, both bilateral
and pertaining to the to EU agenda. One important message from the
Azeri side was their continued commitment to internal reform and
integration with the EU. We also talked about the need for Azerbaijan
to step up its efforts in the fields of human rights, democracy and
good governance.
I reminded the Azerbaijani Government of the importance of the
upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in this respect. In the coming year
the European audience, and especially the younger generation, will pay
much more attention to Azerbaijan, and the clear expectation will be
that Azerbaijan lives up to the high European standards in respecting
the fundamental rights of its citizens. I had the opportunity to
reiterate these points in talks also with representatives of civil
society and the political opposition.
As far as the bilateral agenda is concerned, there is a great potential
for increased cooperation. Our trade and commercial links should be
developed further. During my visit, I also took good note of a strong
wish to work together in the education sector, something that has
already resulted in a visit of a Ministerial delegation to Sweden.
With our common history linked to the BraNobel heritage, we have a firm
basis for developing our bilateral ties. Incidentally, the Eurovision
Song Contest is a good illustration of successful Azerbaijani-Swedish
cooperation!
How does Sweden assess the ongoing developments on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in the region? Do you believe that there were sufficient
efforts to advance the peace process although the negotiations went
into deadlock?
Clearly, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a cause for serious concern,
with implications not only for the two countries involved, but for the
entire region and the international community. We must all encourage
Azerbaijan and Armenia to find a peaceful solution, and Sweden supports
the efforts of the Minsk Group. But it is fundamental to point out
that peace cannot be achieved in the negotiating rooms only.
The two parties will have to refrain from aggressive rhetoric and
instead build support for peace among their populations. The EU must
support the process and demonstrate to the peoples in the region that
there are important gains to be made from pursuing a peaceful path.
How do you evaluate the economic cooperation of Azerbaijan and the
European market? What is the most attractive for Swedish investors
in Azerbaijani market?
There is scope for increased economic cooperation between EU and AZ,
also to encompass other sectors than energy. The accession of AZ
to the WTO and a free trade agreement with the EU could facilitate
closer cooperation.
A growing interest in Azerbaijan among Swedish investors can be
discerned. As of today, only a few Swedish enterprises are present in
the market. TeliaSonera and Ericsson are some examples. Sweden hopes
to develop closer business relations with Azerbaijan. We are planning
for a visit of a Swedish trade delegation before the end of the year.
Since the energy sector is of prime importance to the Azeri economy,
there is great scope for cooperation in green energy technology,
energy efficiency and renewables.
What is your opinion on promotion of the "Eastern Partnership" program,
considering that Sweden was one of the initiators of it?
The Eastern Partnership aims to strengthen and deepen contacts
and cooperation with the six Eastern European countries, including
Azerbaijan. The EaP - with EU integration at the core - is a clear
expression of solidarity and long-term engagement from the EU's side.
Moreover, the EaP has helped mobilize attention to the Eastern
neighborhood amongst EU's 27 member states. With the EaP, the EU as a
whole has renewed its focus on Eastern Europe and has rallied around
an ambitious agenda for the countries in question.
The EaP has firmly placed the Eastern partners at the top of the EU
agenda - and rightly so. With the EaP, the countries in question are
offered greater political and economic integration with the EU. In
return, the countries must adhere to the values that underpin the
European cooperation and progress on internal reforms. The up-coming
second Eastern Partnership Summit on 29-30 November in Warsaw will
be a good opportunity to take stock of progress made so far, and to
set new policy goals for the future.