OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu concluded his first official visits to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan today, reaffirming the Organization’s strong commitment to peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus.
“This visit was an opportunity to underline the OSCE’s strong commitment to peace and stability in the region, and our support to address ongoing challenges,” said Sinirlioğlu.
In Armenia, Secretary General Sinirlioğlu met with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan. In Azerbaijan, he met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
In both Yerevan and Baku, Secretary General Sinirlioğlu welcomed the respective efforts being made to ensure regional peace and stability, expressing hope for the signing of a peace agreement as soon as possible. “The news that the text of the peace agreement is finalized is an inspiring development. OSCE stands ready to support Armenia and Azerbaijan as they continue on the road to sustainable peace,” he stated.
The Secretary General also visited the Baku International Sea Trade Port, where opportunities for increased co-operation in transport and connectivity were discussed. Being a key hub along the Middle Corridor, which connects Europe and Asia via multimodal transportation, the Port of Baku is one of the beneficiaries of the OSCE`s project on “Promoting Green Ports and Connectivity in the Caspian Sea Region” assisting seaports in the Caspian Sea to promote sustainable transport connectivity, thus contributing to economic growth in the OSCE region.
In Georgia, Secretary General Sinirlioğlu met with President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili. He also met with civil society and opposition representatives.
Having visited the administrative boundary line, the Secretary General underscored the OSCE’s commitment to continue working with international partners within the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Prevention Response Mechanism to address security concerns and to seek practical solutions to problems faced by the conflict-affected population. “Stability in Georgia is vital both for its people and for the wider region’s security. I want to reaffirm our willingness to support Georgia in addressing internal and external challenges, and I want to encourage the Georgian authorities to continue relying on OSCE’s expertise and support,” he noted.
Throughout his visit to the South Caucasus region, the Secretary General highlighted how the OSCE’s decades-long experience and comprehensive approach to security can help normalize relations across the region and contribute to wider regional stability and peace. He underlined the importance of continued adherence to the OSCE commitments.
/Argumentum.al
