TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2006
Ukraine Upholds Azerbaijan’s Initiatives on Nagorno-Karabakh –
Interview With Ukrainian President Yutshchenko
Source: Trend
Author: P.Kesamanski
07.09.2006
Trend’s exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Victor
Yutshchenko
– What would be your opinion on the current Azeri-Ukrainian
relations? Are they matching the potential?
– Ukraine considers Azerbaijan an important strategic partner and we
are going to extend and improve the existing mutual relations with
your Country.
The basis for Ukrainian-Azeri partnerships is formed by mutual
interests of both the countries and their favorable geostrategic
location. This, in turn, opens up prospects for the creation of
mutual transport corridors, firstly those related to energy.
I would like to mention the high intensity of mutual contacts that
have been observed last year and in 2006. The most fruitful of these
was our interview during the May summit of GUAM member-countries
leaders in Kiev.
Intensification of the trade and economic relations between our
Countries is observed as well. We can see both the increase of Azeri
goods imported to Ukraine and Ukrainian goods delivered to Azeri
markets. However, respective figures are still far from the limits of
our capabilities and its significant opportunities.
I would like to say that the most important field of co-operation
between Ukraine and Azerbaijan is establishing the new route of
Caspian oil delivery to European consumers
(Baku-Supsa-Odessa-Brodi-Plotsk).
Furth ermore, at present we have huge opportunities for the extension
of mutually profitable co-operation in aircraft construction,
transport, building construction, agriculture, SMB and other fields.
We also have unused capacity for increasing the export of oil and oil
products, as well as oil industry equipment, chemical and
petrochemical production from Azerbaijan to Ukraine. In turn, Ukraine
may deliver food and pharmacological production, engineering
facilities, metallurgic and agricultural production to Azerbaijan.
– What are the main issues to be discussed during your official visit
to Azerbaijan?
– During my visit to Azerbaijan, on September 7 and 8 I am meeting
with my Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev, visiting the Parliament and
speaking to government officials of Azerbaijan. I, together with
Ilham Aliyev, are going to discuss our countries’ co-operation in the
trade and economic field, as well as the joint energy security
projects. Undoubtedly, the most actual issue of our collaboration is
establishing the new route for Caspian oil transportation
(Baku-Supsa-Odessa-Brodi-Plotsk).
– What would be your assessment of prospects of CIS organization?
What, in your opinion, is GUAM’s future?
– "Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM" is
very promising and sets very ambitious tasks as well. The current
stage priority is GUAM’s recognition as an effective organization of
democratic states, whose activity boosts the economic development of
its members, ensures security and stability in the region, and
strengthens domination of law and basic rights and freedom of people.
We need to acquire the positive experience of other countries, in
particular WTO, and I am sure a rosy future is awaiting GUAM should
this be successful.
The global community development trends witness the striving of
various countries economy to the more liberal movement of finances,
goods, services and so. Namely for this reason last and this year,
the significant attention was paid to implementation of the Agreement
on Free Trade Zone creation among the "Organization for Democracy and
Economic Development – GUAM" member-countries. At present one may say
the signing of the relevant protocol among the said countries
formally states the commencement of work of this free trade zone
within the borders of four states: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and
Moldova.
– Does Ukraine uphold the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan? Will
Ukraine perform with some incentive on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict?
– Ukraine pays much attention to the settlement of conflicts in GUAM
member-countries, including Azerbaijan.
Ukraine’s position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, apart from its
policy of non-intervention in internal affairs of other states,
remains all the same: we always advocated its immediate settlement on
the basis of universal norms and principles of international
legislation, as well as sovereignty and territorial integrity and
inviolability of universally recognized frontiers of states and
adherence to the related resolutions of UN Security council and OSCE
decisions.
Ukraine upholds the relevant Azerbaijan’s initiatives on this issue
both individually and within international organizations. We are
ready, under the agreements signed within GUAM, to uphold Azerbaijan
in order to attract the attention of global community to the
necessity in joining efforts for the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
and other so-called "frozen" conflicts in GUAM member-countries.