Ignazio Cassis, Vice President of the Swiss Confederation and OSCE Chairman-in-Office, emphasized the importance of the organization acting more effectively in preventing conflicts and stopping wars.
Modern.az reports that he said this at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
Ignazio Cassis stated that during his visit to Azerbaijan, Baku's historical and modern appearance made a pleasant impression on him:
“I had the opportunity to visit Icherisheher and saw Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage up close. Baku gave me the impression of a green city. Greenery and trees everywhere in the city caught my attention. My colleagues who were in Baku in the 1990s said that the situation was completely different at that time. Today, I saw with my own eyes the great development and changes in the city. We had fruitful discussions with Jeyhun Bayramov. Relations between Switzerland and Azerbaijan are at a high level.
Friendly relations between the two countries have deep roots. Economic cooperation and inter-institutional relations create conditions for further development of these relations. Favorable legal and institutional frameworks exist for the private sector to invest. In the future, we will continue our activities to further expand these investments and economic ties. Azerbaijan plays an important role as a transport and logistics center between Europe and Asia in terms of its geostrategic position.”
The Swiss minister also touched upon the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating that the initialing of the peace agreement is an important step in strengthening stability in the region:
“I am pleased that Switzerland has contributed, even if only a little, to this process. Achieving a final peace is extremely important for the welfare of both countries and their peoples. Switzerland is always ready to support this process and show its contribution.”
In his speech, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office also touched upon the Ukraine-Russia war, emphasizing that lasting peace is only possible through dialogue:
“A genuine dialogue must be established between Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The parties must find a way to mutual understanding and cooperation in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Final Act. At the same time, I believe that the OSCE should be able to intervene in conflicts and contribute to stopping wars. Mr. Minister, I will be pleased to see you at the ministerial meeting. Issues of the organization's future activities and the election of a new chairman will be discussed.
I believe that in the future we will continue our joint activities to further strengthen relations between Switzerland and Azerbaijan.”
