On September 3, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Pere Joan Pons Sampietro.

Axar.az reports that noting that one of the existing conflicts in the OSCE area had been resolved and that lasting peace had been ensured in the region, Joan Pons Sampietro, in this regard, congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the achievements in the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Expressing his gratitude for the congratulations, the Azerbaijani President regretfully stressed that the OSCE Minsk Group, which has been responsible for resolving the conflict for nearly 30 years, had failed to achieve any results in the negotiation process, and that the UN Security Council resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the territories of Azerbaijan had not been implemented.

President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan itself had put an end to the conflict through military and political means, restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

During the conversation, the sides expressed satisfaction with Azerbaijan’s contacts and political dialogue with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, unlike with some other European parliamentary institutions.

The meeting emphasized the importance of demonstrating a balanced attitude toward the entire OSCE area on the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s agenda.

The meeting also highlighted intercultural dialogue and commended Azerbaijan’s role and contributions in the process.

Emphasizing the importance of the 4th International Mine Action Conference on the theme “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements”, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro noted that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also addresses the issue of landmines on its agenda.