Montenegro and Azerbaijan have been well-acquainted, our countries have established strong mutual relations in a short period of time, and for that reason Montenegro has been, with Turkey, the country with the largest direct investments of Azerbaijan, because investors have selected friendly countries for their projects – the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr Ilham Aliyev, said at the meeting with the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović, who has been paying an official visit to this country. Exchange visits at all levels are important in order to consider ways for further improvement of relations between the two countries, among which parliamentary cooperation plays an important role – is the opinion of the President of Azerbaijan.
The President of the Parliament of Montenegro emphasised the importance of friendly relations and mutual trust for cooperation in all areas, primarily economic, where there was still much room for strengthening foreign and trade exchange before everything else. Speaking about strategic projects of Azerbaijan and Montenegro, Mr Brajović accentuated the tourist complex Portonovi, and expressed the view that the planned appointment of a diplomatic representative of Montenegro in Baku would further facilitate and speed up the ties between our countries and nations. Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the President of the Parliament expressed the expectation of finding peaceful solution within the Minsk negotiations process and offered support of our country to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations.
In his speech at an International Conference on "The role of Parliamentarians in boosting economic cooperation and cultural ties along the Silk Road", the President of the Parliament of Montenegro said that we have lived in a digital age when information equaled a touch or a click:
- But our aim and the aim of this conference is not virtual, but real, with a priority to establish a dialogue on the ever facilitated communication of all forms of traffic and logistic. Given that every dialogue implys an intelocutor, I believe that the time has come for us to make even stronger efforts to connect the east and the west. Therefore - the sooner and easier we ensure the communication - the sooner will we comprehend the transience of differences, and the eternity of all kinds of dialogue – Mr Brajović said.
Speaking about Montenegro in the society of many bigger and powerful countries, its history and culture, as well as commitment to good relations with all countries, Mr Brajović said:
- We do not have Mahabharata, Iliad, and Odyssey, but we have the oldest printing house in South Slavs and the Mountain Wreath. We do not have Homer, but we have Njegoš. We do not have Huseyn Javid in our literature, but we have his bust in the most beautiful park of our capital city. We do not have the Azure coast, but we have the Adriatic. We do not have Himalayas, but we have Durmitor. Some lost their face in the past, but Montenegro did not. It saved its face and its citizens, and also provided a home and a place under the sun to many people at the end of the last century in the Balkans. Among other things, this is the reason for which the EU has opened its door to us that we will pass through in the upcoming years.
During his two-day stay in Azerbaijan, Mr Brajović will meet with all high-level officials of this country. Mr Bogdan Fatić is part of the delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro.
OSCE PA Silk Road Support Group, which Montenegro is one of the founders of, gathers 22 countries from Central Asia and Europe, tasked with the need for stronger economic, transport and trade relations between OSCE PA participating countries that with its geographical position and historical connections have represented an ancient trade corridor in the Late Middle Ages and that connected the Mediterranean and East Asia.
Excerpts from the speech of Mr Brajović
Cover shots – Baku
