Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan meets President of Belgian Senate

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 06 March, 2012

Visiting Azerbaijani delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister, chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov has met with President of the Belgian Senate Sabine de Bethune. During the meeting, Sabine de Bethune underlined steady development of bilateral relations. She underscored the fact that Azerbaijan has been the only country since 2007 to host the Belgium`s embassy in the South Caucasus region and it shows that Azerbaijan is an important country for Belgium. For his part, Ali Hasanov pointed out the two countries cooperate bilaterally and within international organizations. He underlined that Azerbaijani President defined two strategic targets – Azerbaijan`s joining the ranks of the most developed nations, eradication of poverty in the country. The government carries out socio-economic reforms, implements a number of State Programs to achieve development of the regions. Ali Hasanov stated that Azerbaijan gained great accomplishments in political, economic and cultural spheres, but Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main obstacle on the way of the country`s development. The Azerbaijani official thanked co-chairs of the Azerbaijan-Belgium interparliamentary friendship group Elkhan Suleymanov for Azerbaijan and Phillip Blanshar for Belgium for organization of discussions on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the Chamber of Representatives. Speaking at the event, chairman of Belgium-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group Phillip Blanshar noted that he witnessed religious tolerance in Azerbaijan during the visits. He stated that Azerbaijan has serious refugees and IDPs problems, adding not only people living in Nagorno-Karabakh, but also Armenian citizens suffer from this conflict. Blanshar expressed intention to hold discussions in the Belgian parliament on the conflict and to make contributions to its peaceful settlement. Following the meeting, Ali Hasanov handed over materials on the progress achieved to improve living and housing conditions of refugees and IDPs, a book on Khojaly genocide, the documentary film to the President of the Belgian Senate Sabine de Bethune. The visit of the Azerbaijani delegation will last till March 7.