PESHAWAR: Ambassador of Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan Ali Alizada here on Wednesday stressed the need for enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan in various sectors including culture, tourism and trade.

Speaking at a “ Meet the Press “ programme jointly organised by Khyber Union of Journalists and Peshawar Press Club, the ambassador said that Pakistan was one of the few countries in the world that recognised independence of Azerbaijan in 1991 and established diplomatic relations with it the very next year.

“Since then, both the countries have been enjoying friendly and warm relations. Both states have supported each other on all important issues, particularly on Nagorno-Karabakh and Kashmir issues based on UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.

Mr Alizada said that Pakistan was located at the crossroads of three geo-economically important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia. “Besides, it also provides a sea route to Central Asian countries and thus it is very important state,” he added.

He said that as a key member country of important organisations like Economic Cooperation Organisation, Pakistan could play vital role in terms of connectivity and integration of Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia. He added that Pakistan could also join and benefit from different projects being executed in all those three regions in the sectors of energy, trade, transportation and tourism.

The ambassador underlined the importance to political and military relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. He said that it was necessary to make efforts to further boost economic, trade and cultural relations between the two countries.

Mr Alizada said that Pakistan was the only country that had not recognised Armenia owing to occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its adjacent areas. He paid tributes to the journalists, who rendered sacrifices of their lives in the line of duty in the militancy-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and erstwhile Fata.

The ambassador said that both the countries believed in exchange programme for journalists that was designed to increase and deepen public understanding of the two states and their important relationship that was crucial to regional stability and improvement of economic ties.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2019