Baku: 28 July 2021 (TDI)
1st Trilateral Meeting of Speakers of National Assemblies of Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 27 July 2021. It was the first joint conference of parliamentary speakers, one of its kind, fostering parliamentary diplomacy among three countries for ratcheting up trade, cultural, economic, and security relations of the countries.
A delegation headed by Mustafa Shentop and Asad Qaiser paid a visit to the Alley of Honors and paid tribute at the tomb of ex-President, Heydar Aliyev, and an Academician Zarifa Aliyeva on Tuesday. The guests also went to the Alley of Martyrs, where they paid their respects to the courageous sons of the Motherland who gave their lives for Azerbaijan’s independence and territorial sovereignty, put flowers on their graves, and laid a wreath at the Eternal Torch monument. Afterward, the delegation paid a visit to the “Turkish Martyrdom” monument, which was constructed in remembrance of the Turkish troops who perished in the fighting for Baku’s freedom in 1918.
The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, also met with the Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Asad Qaiser with his Parliamentary delegation at the Presidential Palace, Baku, on Tuesday morning. President Ilam Aliyev warmly welcomed him and conveyed good wishes to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and President, Arif Alvi. During the meeting, the President of Azerbaijan rendered full support to Pakistan fighting against Kashmir’s illegal occupation by India and showed his utmost concern for Human rights violations perpetrated by India.
A Joint Parliamentary Conference was convened by Mili Majlis in Baku in the afternoon. A joint declaration titled the Baku Declaration was also signed after the inaugural trilateral conference, which addressed all elements of parliamentary cooperation, regional security, social and economic consolidation, and increased regional interconnectivity. The Baku Declaration was signed by Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Mustafa Shentop, Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly, and Asad Qaiser, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly.
The document, according to Milli Majlis Speaker, Sahiba Gafarova, would assist in the improvement of strategic partnerships between the nations. She views the declaration as the first major step towards realizing long-awaited hopes of long-term bilateral ties under the auspices of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, which includes Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan.
Mustafa Shentop, Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, stated that the Baku Declaration will help to guarantee regional security. In this regard, continuously shifting geopolitical and geostrategic circumstances necessitate the creation of a functioning apparatus to dissuade adversary forces seeking to undermine regional peace and security.
While addressing the conference, Asad Qaiser, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly, praised the formation of a trilateral cooperation arrangement between the parliaments of Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. He stressed the importance of expanding collaboration in areas such as culture, economics, education, and others. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan and praised the Azerbaijani government and people for their historic victory in the Patriotic War.
It was also decided at the termination of the conference that Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan’s parliament speakers will convene for the second time in Islamabad in 2022.
