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Rome, December 14, AZERTAC
Italian Notizie Geoplotiche news website has published an interview with Azerbaijani ambassador in Rome Mammad Ahmadzade.
In response to journalist Giuliano Bifolchi’s question about results of the visit of Italian FM Paolo Gentiloni to Azerbaijan, ambassador Ahmadzade highlighted that Azerbaijan-Italy relations have a character of strategic partnership.
Mammad Ahmadzade said Paolo Gentiloni’s latest visit to Azerbaijan, his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev and other officials, as well as discussions on regional and global issues prove that the two countries enjoy strategic partnership.
The ambassador noted that many Italian businessmen accompanied the Italian FM during his visit to Azerbaijan. He emphasized that this visit was also important for discussing what has been done after the 4th meeting of Azerbaijan-Italy intergovernmental commission and business forum.
Ahmadzade highlighted economic relations between Azerbaijan and Italy. Moreover, he said, Italy has been an important trade partner of Azerbaijan for many years, while Azerbaijan was the main oil supplier of Italy. He underlined that many Italian companies are involved in important energy, infrastructure and industrial projects in Azerbaijan. “At the same time, demand for high quality consumer and industrial products made in Italy has essentially rose in Azerbaijan in the last few years.”
He also spoke of advantages of the Southern Gas Corridor, including TAP project, in terms of the expansion of relations between the two countries and benefits for the Italian economy. Ambassador Ahmadzade urged Italian companies to be involved in the non-oil sectors of Azerbaijan`s economy and consider the country, which has strategically favourable location, state-of-the-art logistic facilities and transport infrastructure, as a bridge to regional markets.
Ambassador Ahmadzade also provided an insight into the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh project, including the consequences of Armenia`s military aggression against Azerbaijan, international organizations` resolutions on the dispute, Armenia`s violation of international law and Azerbaijan`s position on the conflict.
The diplomat stressed the importance of ensuring the withdrawal of the Armenian military units from the occupied Azerbaijani territory.
“Armenia should learn lessons from April events and change the status-quo, and stop cheating the international community and imitating the negotiations process. They have to take a constructive position so that we sit at the negotiating table again.”
He also touched upon the activity of the Armenian lobby and their anti-Azerbaijani allies disturbed by successes of Azerbaijan, particularly its independent policy and the growing international prestige.
The ambassador said that ignoring the rights of one million Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs who emerged as a result of the Armenian aggression, Armenian military units` crimes and atrocities against the Azerbaijani population, as well as the great strides made by Azerbaijan in political, economic and social spheres in the years of independence, the country’s contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, multiculturalism and prosperity in the world is manifestation of nothing but double standards.
AZERTAG.AZ :Italian Notizie Geopolitiche news website interviews Azerbaijani ambassador
