The development of relations with Latin America are of great importance in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy and one of its priorities, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told reporters on Oct.12.

Hajiyev said that at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socio-economic development of 2012, chaired by the Azerbaijani president, it was noted that relations with Latin American countries have been intensified and each sides have both political and economic interests in this regard.

Today, Latin American countries are of great political, economic and demographic importance and play an important role either individually, or on a regional basis,” he noted.

Hajiyev went on to add that a well-organized Armenian community is operating in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

“They have the power to influence internal policy. Those countries’ parliaments adopted five documents on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1989-1996 as a result of the efforts of the Armenian lobby and diaspora organizations. Thanks to Azerbaijan’s diplomacy, such initiatives were prevented. The relations have been developed rapidly over the past five years. Cuba, Mexico and Argentina opened their embassies in Azerbaijan. These embassies almost cover many countries of Latin America,” he noted.

According to the spokesman, Azerbaijan won the support of Latin American countries when it became a non-permanent member of the UN Security.

He mentioned that trade and economic cooperation is of great importance in these relations. “The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Latin American countries accounts to $300 million. Its main part is related to the trade relations with Brazil,” he said.

In addition, Hajiyev stressted that the parliaments of Columbia, Peru, Panama, Honduras, Paraguay and Guatemala adopted several documents condemning the Khojaly genocide and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

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