Speech of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev at the official reception in honor of the participants of the seventh session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation - Palace "Gulistan", June 11, 1996


Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen!

Today the Parliamentary Assembly Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation began its work in the capital of Azerbaijan in Baku. I welcome the beginning of the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and I wish successes in its activity.

The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation is a large regional organization, which can provide economic cooperation among the member countries, during its existence, and now takes new steps in the direction of expansion and development of cooperation more.

Azerbaijan is a member of this organization from the moment of its creation and hopes that the participation in this organization will contribute to the development of cooperation among the Black Sea basin countries, and naturally will benefit these countries, and Azerbaijan, too.

The conduction of the next conference of the Parliamentary Assembly Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in Azerbaijan, in Baku, we consider as the demonstration of attention to our republic, city, and we are sure that there will be created all conditions for your effective work.

I welcome you heartily on behalf of the Azerbaijani nation, inhabitants of Baku, and I am sure that the acquaintance with our republic will become a source of additional information about our people, country, will create good conditions for strengthening and development of friendly relations among our countries and Azerbaijan more.

Last summer the summit of the heads of states of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation was held in the capital of Rumania, in Bucharest. I think that this meeting has played its part in the expansion of economic relations among the countries of the Black Sea basin more. We have got an opportunity to discuss the questions of economic cooperation, it is time to define the ways of development of our organization more. I am sure that if we follow this way we can have successes in economic cooperation of the countries of the Black Sea basin.

The parliaments of our countries and also the Parliamentary Assembly play an important role in the activity of our regional organization. Therefore, today I can say with the confidence that the Parliamentary Assembly works actively, the representatives of the Parliaments of our countries meet often than the heads of the states and there is a favorable legislative basis for widening and development of our economic cooperation more.

Azerbaijan attaches great importance to its participation in the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and tries to contribute to this cooperation, to play an active part in this cooperation. I hope that holding the next meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Azerbaijan, in Baku will permit the members of the parliaments of the countries of the Black Sea basin to get acquainted with our life closely, economic opportunities and perspectives of economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Therefore, making use of this opportunity, we can demonstrate our opportunities visually in order to be more successful in the whole, to make Azerbaijan take an active part in this cooperation.

The economic cooperation is a most important means for closer relations of countries, nations, for strengthening confidence, mutual understanding. Now, there are complicated processes in the world, we all, all our countries, nations feel a necessity for the regulation of more close relations among themselves, in strengthening cooperation in all spheres.

I am sure that this organization by providing the economic cooperation among our countries may do a lot either for the development or for the expansion of relations among our countries in all spheres. We all feel a necessity for this. We all need stability, peace and economic cooperation which is an important means for achieving this.

Undoubtedly the meeting of the representatives of the parliaments of the countries of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation today alongside develops and expands economic relations, strengthens our relations in all spheres, allows to know each other better, to strengthen peace and mutual understanding among our countries and peoples.

I welcome you again, I wish you successes and raise my glass in behalf of more development and expansion of economic cooperation within our regional organization, on behalf of strengthening peace in our region, development of cooperation, stability, happiness and progress of countries and nations representing our economic organization.

Your heath!