Newsletter No. 1414
News-Analysis
July 15, 2009

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Malikov Khagani (Shingetsu Member No. 123). Khagani is a PhD candidate at Niigata University.

EXPECTATIONS GROW FOR AZERBAIJAN-JAPAN RELATIONSHIP

Photo: Elmar Mammadyarov and Hirofumi Nakasone
Source: Unknown

Recently, we witnessed the official visit of the foreign minister of Azerbaijan to Japan from June 16th to June 21st. During his visit, Elmar Mammadyarov held meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, and business circles. He handed over to Taro Aso an official letter by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev inviting the Japanese premier to visit Azerbaijan at a convenient time. A wide range of issues were discussed, including GUAM-Japan partnership meetings and the Workshop on Trade and Investment Promotion, which has functioned since the visit of Ilham Aliyev to Japan in March 2006.

Mammadyarov expressed gratitude for Japanese ODA loan to the Provincial Cities Water Supply and Sewerage Project as well as Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers. The Japanese contribution to a NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project, which aims at the clearance of 571 hectares of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in Azerbaijan, was also highly appreciated. The Japanese side repeated that they would like to further contribute to bilateral economic cooperation, and that it is important for them to observe stability and steady economic growth in Azerbaijan. In this connection, it has been proposed to focus the joint meetings within the Japan-Azerbaijan Economic Committee framework on the further expansion of trade and investment between the two countries. During his speech at the Japan Institute of International Affairs and in his meetings with Japanese business circles, Mammadyarov pointed out that Azerbaijan was interested in using Japanese technologies in non-oil sectors. Currently, Japanese companies take part only in investments into the energy field in Azerbaijan, particularly the Azeri-Chirag-Gunsahli (ACG) and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) projects, although expectations by the Azerbaijani side are in favor of expanding these investments into other fields. Azerbaijan’s economy is a leader among the CIS countries and the region.

Touching upon the global issues around DPRK and the Iranian elections, both sides underlined the need to “comprehensively resolve outstanding issues concerning North Korea” and expressed their expectations for a stable and prosperous domestic situation in Iran. The parties also agreed to work actively to reform the UN Security Council, while the Azerbaijani side reiterated its “strong support” for a permanent seat for Japan on the council.

Emphasizing the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan through various channels, including the OSCE Minsk Group, based upon the principles of sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of the internationally-recognized borders, Japan once more openly renewed its support for territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is situated inside Azerbaijan, has been under Armenian occupation, along with adjacent cities equaling 20% of the total Azerbaijani lands (leaving 30,000 dead and more than one million internally displaced Azerbaijani people), since the cease-fire agreement achieved in 1994. By occupying this region, neighboring Armenia is claiming the independence to this region utilizing the Armenian minority population living there, while the United Nation and world countries—including Japan—have recognized Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemning the Armenian armed occupation with four UN Security Council resolutions in early 1990s.

Mammadyarov thanked Japan for backing the territorial integrity of his country and the Japanese side reiterated its support for efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the region, emphasizing expectations for constructive engagement by international partners, as the Caucasus region, situated at the crossroad of Asia and Europe, has the potential to become a region of peace and prosperity for all local peoples.

APPENDIX: OFFICIAL STATEMENTS

Japan-Azerbaijan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
MOFA
June 17, 2009

On June 17 (Wed), from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm, Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan had a meeting with H.E. Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and hosted a dinner for him at Iikura House. The outline of the meeting is as follows. A Joint Press Statement on the Japan-Azerbaijan Foreign Ministerial Meeting was issued after the meeting.

Opening Remarks

Mr. Nakasone welcomed Mr. Mammadyarov’s visit to Japan, and said that this visit will contribute to further develop the bilateral relationship between the two countries on top of the existing active discussions that have been conducted between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries as well as the Japan-Azerbaijan Economic Joint Meetings.

Bilateral relations

(1) Both ministers expressed their high evaluation of the fact that a favorable relationship is being maintained between Japan and Azerbaijan both politically and economically.

(2) Mr. Nakasone expressed his hope that Azerbaijan’s steady economic growth and stability would contribute to the stability and development of the Caucasus region.

(3) Mr. Mammadyarov explained Azerbaijan’s efforts for economic reform and expressed his gratitude for the support that Japan has provided so far.

(4) Both ministers exchanged their views on the importance and the possibilities for cooperation in the fields of environment conservation and education.

Regional and international affairs

(1) Both ministers stressed the importance of a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, through various channels including the OSCE Minsk Group, based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and the inviolability of the country’s internationally-recognized borders.

(2) Both ministers also exchanged opinions about issues related to North Korea and Iran.

Cooperation in the international arena

Mr. Nakasone reaffirmed Japan’s basic stance in regard to the issue of United Nations Security Council reform, and thanked Azerbaijan for its support for Japan’s permanent membership of the Security Council. Both ministers decided to work together for an early realization of the reform, including the expansion of the permanent membership of the Security Council.

Lastly, Mr. Mammadyarov invited Mr. Nakasone to visit Azerbaijan. Mr. Nakasone thanked him for the invitation, and replied that he would like to visit the country if the situation allowed.

Joint Press Statement on the Japan-Azerbaijan Foreign Ministerial Meeting
June 17, 2009

1. H.E. Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan visited Japan at the invitation of the Government of Japan from June 16 to 21, 2009, and held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan on June 17. At the meeting, the two Ministers discussed a wide range of issues, including the bilateral relations and global issues of mutual interest.

2. Recalling the Joint Statement on the Further Development of Friendship and Partnership between Japan and the Republic of Azerbaijan issued on March 10, 2006 on the occasion of the visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, both sides reviewed the achievements up to the present and exchanged views on the future direction of the bilateral relations.

3. Both sides highly valued the active and fruitful dialogues between Japan and Azerbaijan which were conducted in recent years, including the high-level policy consultations that have been held as many as four times in both capitals since the visit to Japan by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in March 2006.

4. Both Sides decided to hold regular meetings between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries to discuss a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations and all aspects of other international issues of common interest in order to enlarge the cooperation between two ministries, convinced that the constructive and stable dialogue will contribute to better mutual understanding and further development of the bilateral relations.

5. The Azerbaijani side expressed its gratitude for the Official Development Assistance(ODA) consistently provided by Japan for the economic development of Azerbaijan including the Japanese ODA loan of "the Provincial Cities Water Supply and Sewerage Project" and Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers which is aimed to improve water sanitation and food productivity in Azerbaijan, and expressed its expectation for the continuation of the Japanese cooperation.

6. The Japanese side expressed its intention of continuing to extend its cooperation to the efforts by the Republic of Azerbaijan to achieve further democratization and market-oriented economy, considering that the stability and prosperity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is of importance to Japan from the viewpoint of geopolitics and energy policies, would contribute to the peace and stability of the whole Caucasus region.

7. Considering the importance of the roles played by the Japan-Azerbaijan Economic Committee for further expansion of trade and investment between the two countries, both sides confirmed the necessity of holding a next joint meeting of the committee in the near future. In this regard, the Azerbaijani side stated its intention of further improving of its favorable investment climate. In this connection, both sides highly valued the negotiations held between the two countries hitherto with a view to the Republic of Azerbaijan`s early accession to the WTO.

8. Both sides expressed their intention of further developing their cooperation in the field of energy. In this regard, they highly valued the smooth progress and contribution to the Azerbaijani economy being made by the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oil field development project and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) petroleum pipeline, in which Japanese private companies are participating.

9. Both sides shared the view that the strengthening of people-to-people and cultural exchange between the two countries is of importance in fostering mutual understanding and enhancing cooperation in the field of science, education, culture and health.

10. The Azerbaijani side expressed its deep appreciation for Japan's support for GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) and active cooperation and dialogue between Japan and GUAM. Both sides expressed their confidence that continuation of "GUAM-Japan" dialogue along with National Coordinators' Meeting held in Tokyo on February 19-20, 2009 and the Workshop on "Trade and Investment Promotion" held in Tokyo on February 1-9, 2009, will create a strong basis for further cooperation in spheres of mutual interest, such as tourism, trade and investment, energy saving and environmental protection.

11. Both Sides emphasized the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan through various channels including the OSCE Minsk Group based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of the internationally recognized borders. The Japanese side reiterated its support for efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the region, and affirmed its expectation for constructive engagement by international partners, as the Caucasus region, situated at the crossroad of Asia and Europe, has the potential to become a region of peace and prosperity for all populations.

12. The Azerbaijani side expressed its appreciation for the contribution of Japan to a NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project in Azerbaijan which aims to complete clearance of 571 hectares of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) contaminated land.

13. Both sides expressed their expectations for close cooperation at UN bodies and further expressed their determination to work together actively for an early realization of the United Nations Security Council reform, including the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership of the Security Council. In this regard, the Azerbaijani side reiterated its strong support for Japan's permanent membership of the Security Council, and in return the Japanese side expressed its deep appreciation for the support.

14. Both sides exchanged views on international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The two ministers reaffirmed the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1874 and emphasized that the DPRK must comply with this result and other relevant UNSC resolutions. Both sides also underlined the need to comprehensively resolve the outstanding issues concerning the DPRK including the abduction issue.