“Azerbaijan is a beautiful country, and there would be no peace and security in Europe without Azerbaijan,” Leo Docherty, Under Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Minister of State for Europe and North America, said at talks with President Ilham Aliyev. He underlined that the rich history of bilateral relations between the two countries is a source of pride.
There is indeed something to be proud of. After all, the first Azerbaijani-British relations emerged in the late 20th – early 21st centuries. In the first years of the 20th century, British companies invested huge funds in Azerbaijani oil enterprises. As a result, in 1904 Great Britain imported 47.1 per cent of consumed paraffin from Azerbaijan. It was the British “Vickers Limited” that became the first company to obtain a licence to produce technical equipment for the cracking plant.
After the collapse of the USSR, the UK recognised Azerbaijan’s independence on December 31, 1991. Diplomatic relations between our countries were established on March 11, 1992. The British Embassy in Azerbaijan was opened in September 1992. Azerbaijani Embassy in London opened its doors in January 1994.
The first official visit of national leader Heydar Aliyev to Great Britain took place on February 22-25, 1994. Negotiations were held with then Prime Minister John Major and Foreign Minister Douglas Hurd. During that visit, a Joint Declaration of Friendship and Cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UK was signed.
London is one of the largest foreign investors in Azerbaijan. As of June 2023, the UK has invested more than $30 billion in the country’s economy. So, we have a lot to be proud of in our bilateral relations. It is very important that the British Minister underscored this fact.
His words were uttered at the very time when from Washington and Paris we hear blatantly false, inappropriate and pro-Armenian statements, the essence of which boils down to attempts to devalue Azerbaijan’s restoration of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The fallacy of this position is more than obvious – no one can talk to Azerbaijan in the language of ultimatums.
Our country has travelled too long and rocky path to the liberation of all territories occupied by Armenia and now, having achieved its goal, will not allow the heralds of stupidity and lies to denigrate our great victory. The US and France, as members of the defunct OSCE Minsk Group, had decades during which they had the opportunity to achieve a just peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Nothing special had to be done here. It was enough to call things by their proper names, i.e. call Armenia an occupant country and treat it accordingly, based on the norms of international law and resolutions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council. But Washington and Paris have done nothing of the sort. They did not impose sanctions against Armenia. On the contrary, in the year of the occupation of Shusha, the United States introduced the shameful 907th amendment against Azerbaijan.
And now we see that it is Paris and Washington that are making the loudest and most unfounded accusations against our country, which “dared” to act contrary to the plans of the United States and France, who were so fond of keeping the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict unresolved. Unlike them, Great Britain has always taken and continues to take a just and honourable position based on the norms of international law.
Now we have heard a fair assessment of our country from Leo Docherty. According to him, the UK is positive about any contribution to regional peace and stability and is proud of the existence of very important political, economic, trade and energy relations with Azerbaijan over the years. This is something that many American and French politicians have suddenly “forgotten”.
Leo Docherty told Aliyev that Azerbaijan is not only an important energy supplier but also a key responsible country in the South Caucasus, stressing there would have not been peace and security without Azerbaijan.
And this is the truth. Azerbaijan is the leading state in the region, implementing projects, the benefits of which are felt far beyond the South Caucasus. Armenia, which has chosen the policy of territorial claims and self-isolation, has not implemented a single project useful for the region during the years of its independence. But this is somehow “forgotten” in Washington and Paris.
Well, it is their choice. Azerbaijan is strong and independent and has many powerful and influential friends, including Great Britain, so it does not pay attention to the nervous breakdowns of the American and French sides.
Caliber.Az
