Pellegrini: Azerbaijan Guarantor of Stability and Development (2)

Shusha/Bratislava, 14 July (TASR-correspondent) - Azerbaijan is a guarantor of stability and development, and it serves as a hub for logistics and transport routes linking East and West, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini declared in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha in Karabakh region on Tuesday. Speaking alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Pellegrini said that Slovakia pursues pragmatic relations and seeks partners and friends in all parts of the world, with Azerbaijan among them, TASR's special correspondent has reported. Pellegrini thanked Azerbaijan for its willingness to supply Slovakia with part of its gas reserves after Russian gas deliveries through Ukraine were halted. "I'm very pleased that our ministers will be able to continue negotiations on finding a stable solution for energy supplies beyond 2027," he said. He also welcomed the planned launch of a direct air link between Bratislava and Baku as of October, pointing out that it will bolster business, academic and people-to-people ties. Pellegrini announced that a business forum involving Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova will be held in Baku on Wednesday (15 July), providing an opportunity for companies from both countries to meet. He added that he and Aliyev share the view that bilateral relations shouldn't be based solely on one-way trade in which one side offers goods and the other purchases them. "Instead, we want as many projects as possible to be joint ventures, to work together in areas where it is mutually beneficial, to manufacture together where it is advantageous, to enable technology transfers and to implement joint projects that benefit both countries rather than one at the expense of the other," said the Slovak president. Pellegrini underlined that security and peace are of fundamental importance to Slovakia. "I therefore wish to commend all the efforts of President Aliyev and Azerbaijan in seeking diplomatic solutions to the tense situation in our region, whether it is the war between Russia and Ukraine or the complex situation in the Middle East," he said. He expressed hope that, alongside efforts to increase military spending and financial support for the parties involved in conflicts, European actors will devote more energy to finding diplomatic solutions. Pellegrini also confirmed that, in 2027 and 2028, Slovakia's embassy in Baku will serve as NATO's contact point embassy. He praised defence cooperation between the two countries, stating that Slovakia will present the first results of their joint cooperation and agreements at a major defence exhibition in Baku in September. Aliyev, in his remarks, welcomed the rapid development of relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, highlighting frequent political contacts, including his visit to Slovakia last year. "It isn't only dialogue, but also practical cooperation," said Aliyev before the two presidents travelled to the nearby Agdam district, where a Slovak company is building the Bash Garvand smart village. The presidents jointly laid the symbolic foundation stone for a school to be named after Milan Rastislav Stefanik. "I'm delighted, and we are proud, that Slovak companies are taking part in the reconstruction of Karabakh. I firmly believe that they will continue to participate in further important projects in the region," said Aliyev. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought several conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Armenian separatists backed by the government in Yerevan controlled the territory from the 1990s until Azerbaijani offensives in 2020 and 2023 restored Baku's control, prompting the mass departure of ethnic Armenians. The Azerbaijani government is now focusing on rebuilding the region. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final five paragraphs mf/df