BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. On February 11,
Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova met with
President of the Arab Parliament Mohammed Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi,
who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, the press service of the
Azerbaijani Parliament told Trend.
Meanwhile, it was noted that during the meeting, the first
official visit of the President of the Arab Parliament to
Azerbaijan was highly appreciated, and confidence was expressed
that this visit would make an important contribution to the further
development of relations between the two organizations, the
expansion of opportunities for cooperation, and the deepening of
ties. Sahiba Gafarova recalled with pleasure their joint
participation in various international events, including a
bilateral meeting in Cairo in November last year and the 2nd
session of the Women's Parliamentary Forum of the Mediterranean
Parliamentary Assembly, held in Abu Dhabi in January this year.
The conversation emphasized that Azerbaijan's relations with
Arab countries are developing successfully based on common
historical and spiritual values and principles of mutual respect.
It was noted that the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people,
Heydar Aliyev, paid great attention to the development of relations
with these countries, and today this policy is being successfully
continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham
Aliyev. It was particularly emphasized that within the framework of
bilateral relations, intensive visits, regular contacts, and
negotiations are being conducted, and the results achieved have
made a significant contribution to the development of these
ties.
The meeting noted that Azerbaijan is making serious efforts to
promote Islam, strengthen Islamic solidarity, and combat
Islamophobia. In this regard, the important initiatives put forward
by our country in this area were highlighted. Speaker of the
Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova noted that mutual support
and solidarity are demonstrated within the framework of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which we represent, and
expressed confidence that cooperation on this platform will
continue in the future. Azerbaijan's 20 years of successful
cooperation with the League of Arab States was also touched upon,
and it was recalled that President Ilham Aliyev was a guest of
honour at the League's summit in 2022.
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that special attention is
being paid to deepening relations with Arab countries and
developing ties through parliamentary channels. She noted that the
Azerbaijani Parliament has working groups with most Arab
parliaments, mutual visits and meetings are held, memoranda of
cooperation are signed, and mutual support and solidarity are
demonstrated within international organizations.
During the dialogue, satisfaction was expressed with the dynamic
development of relations between the Parliamentary Network of the
Non-Aligned Movement (PNAM), established on the initiative of
President Ilham Aliyev and currently chaired by Azerbaijan, and the
Arab Parliament in recent years. The Speaker of Parliament recalled
that in February 2023, during her visit to Cairo, she visited the
headquarters of the Arab Parliament and stressed the importance of
the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation signed during that
visit. It was also noted that the Non-Aligned Movement
Parliamentary Network's acquisition of observer status in the Arab
Parliament that year had created new opportunities for
cooperation.
Expressing his gratitude for the hospitality, the President of
the Arab Parliament, Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, expressed his
satisfaction with his official visit to Azerbaijan. Sharing his
impressions of the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the guest
highly appreciated the tireless work of the head of state to
establish peace and security in the South Caucasus. Emphasizing
that the Arab world attaches great importance to relations with
Azerbaijan, Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi noted interest in deepening
partnership in strategic areas such as trade, energy, and
logistics. The President of the Arab Parliament also expressed
gratitude to Azerbaijan for its strong support on issues on the
Arab world's agenda, especially the Palestinian issue.
The guest, noting that relations between parliaments had entered
a new phase, emphasized that the cooperation and dialogue
established by the institution he heads with the Parliament, as
well as the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, were
a solid foundation for expanding interparliamentary ties. He highly
appreciated the role of the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament
in the effective organization of the work of the Parliamentary
Network and noted the importance of this important platform that
brings parliaments together to discuss global issues. Mohamed Ahmed
Alyammahi also invited the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament to
attend and address the plenary session of the Arab Parliament.
The meeting offered the guest a comprehensive overview of the
historical trajectory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, alongside a
detailed examination of the functioning of the Azerbaijani
Parliament. The Speaker of Parliament outlined the structure and
operations of the legislative body, emphasizing the representation
of political parties and the inclusion of women within Parliament.
Additionally, the Speaker provided insights into the most recent
parliamentary elections and highlighted that the current
composition of Parliament was determined through elections
conducted across the entirety of Azerbaijan.
Following the meeting, the guest signed the Commemorative Book
of the Azerbaijani Parliament.
The delegation, led by Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, viewed the
“Victory Corner” dedicated to the 44-day Second Karabakh War,
located in the plenary hall and lobby of the Azerbaijani
Parliament.
