Azerbaijan highlights post-conflict reconstruction at Council of Europe meeting

A delegation led by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev attended the 133rd session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg on May 16-17.

Addressing the session, the deputy minister said that Azerbaijan, having put an end to the armed conflict with Armenia in 2020, carried out large-scale work on the reconstruction of nine cities and more than 300 villages completely destroyed as a result of military occupation. He reminded that about 4,000 of Azerbaijanis went missing and noted that Armenia is not cooperating in addressing the mine problem, Caliber.Az reports.

He also underlined that the sides are negotiating a draft bilateral agreement based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as inviolability of state borders.

Fariz Rzayev noted that Azerbaijan is open to cooperation with the Council of Europe structures on the basis of dialogue and mutual respect, and called the decision by PACE unfair not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan's parliamentary delegation.

According to the deputy minister, Azerbaijan, as a former chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement and a member of the current chairmanship troika, regrets France's continuation of neo-colonialist traditions, especially regarding New Caledonia, contrary to the basic values and principles of the Council of Europe.

On May 17, Rzayev met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.