Hikmat Hajiyev: “We have transformed Azerbaijan into centre of market operations from battlefield of great powers”

“Azerbaijan has an independent foreign policy. We have built our foreign policy based on Azerbaijan’s national interests,” Hikmat Hajiyev, the head of the Foreign Affairs Department at the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, said at the Atlantic Council, APA reports.

He stated that Azerbaijan tries to understand its neighbors in a difficult geographical area where it located and wants them to understand the realities of Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan was a battlefield of great powers historically. Establishing independence is a difficult process, but protecting it and succeeding is another challenge. Azerbaijan has changed this paradigm and we have transformed Azerbaijan into a center of market operations from the battlefield of great powers. Azerbaijan has good cooperation with its neighbors. The main principles of Azerbaijan in the relations with its neighbors are not to interfere in the internal affairs of each other, to establish cooperation with mutual respect and mutual benefit and strategic dialogue. It is not so easy to make such a balance in foreign policy as a small country. Nevertheless, it is a priority to cooperate with its nearest neighbors in the multivector foreign policy of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has established good cooperation with the USA as well. We are reliable partners. We are doing this with independent, transparent and far-sighted foreign policy. We are not a burden to anybody. We don’t want anything from anyone except mutual beneficial cooperation. And this is in the interests of the Azerbaijani people and our partners. This includes the Southern Gas Corridor and the transport projects implemented by Azerbaijan. South-North and East-West transport lines open opportunities for regional cooperation. We believe that the best prosperity is shared prosperity. Azerbaijan shares its development with its neighbors,” Hajiyev said.