THE ARENA OF POSITIVE INITIATIVES

"Future of foreign relations: power and interests". This was the keynote of the 5^th Global Baku Forum held on March 16-17 in the capital of Azerbaijan. Nearly 300 representatives from 56 countries consisting of influential statesmen, more than 40 current and former presidents, prime ministers and chairmen of parliaments, politicians, scientists, political experts including the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, presidents of Latvia (Raimonds Vejonis), Macedonia (Gjorge Ivanov), Albania (Bujar Nishani), Montenegro (Filip Vujanovic), and Georgia (George Margvelashvili), Prince of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Islamic Studies Turki al-Faisal, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, etc. The participants discussed the most critical global problems, such as methods and strategies for combating terrorism, the use of force in territorial conflicts, migration crisis, China's role in international relations, environmental problems, non-discrimination against women and minorities, future of trans-Atlantic relations, etc.

The Baku Forum has one key difference compared to other similar events: the current challenges are discussed through the prism of cooperation, reflections on available tools to turn our world into a better and safer place for each resident, support of dialogue and cooperation among different peoples, cultures and confessions. The participants have repeatedly noted this particular feature of the Baku Forum. According to the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mladen Ivanic, the Baku platform is an arena for promoting positive initiatives. The former Serbian President, Boris Tadic, formulated the key message of the 5^th Global Baku Forum: "to let the world know that people do not need conflicts and problems, our planet must live in peace and harmony." Prince of Saudi Arabia, Turki al-Faisal, noted that the forum sends important signals of peace and stability, that world leaders must unite and civilizations should not breed conflicts but seek reconciliation trying to further beautify our world.

It is therefore no coincidence that Baku became the host of the forum. This has quite a logical and symbolic significance. Although Azerbaijan continues suffering from problems arising from a territorial conflict, occupation of native lands, humanitarian catastrophe, as well as a huge number of refugees and internally displaced persons, it is a peace-loving multicultural state aimed at cooperation and security. As highlighted by President Ilham Aliyev in his speech at the opening ceremony, Azerbaijan is playing a stabilizing factor in the region.

However, desiring peace is sometimes not enough. Azerbaijan is located in a very difficult region, and the events along the perimeter of its borders cause quite understandable concern for both state leaders and the public. That is why we need platforms such as the Baku Forum, where at the highest level, but at the same time in a trustful circle, the most pressing issues of our time are discussed.

For example, at the opening ceremony of the forum, Ilham Aliyev emphasized the inadmissibility of double standards. Azerbaijan has faced this with the example of the failure to implement for four years already four resolutions of the UN Security Council calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories.

"This indicates the absence of a mechanism for the implementation of decisions taken by the UN Security Council. On the other hand, this demonstrates the lack of a consistent position. Because we are well aware that in some cases, the UN Security Council resolutions are executed within a few days, even hours. As for us, it took 25 years so far but there is still no progress, our refugees and IDPs still cannot return to their homeland. For us, this is a policy of double standards. Unfortunately, today the global events testify that the policy of double standards has become a standard approach in international relations. International law and norms are distorted by various states in accordance with their wishes and current political interests," said Ilham Aliyev.

The President of Azerbaijan emphasized that "speaking about reforms within the framework of the UN and implementation of decisions of international organizations as a whole, it is very important to pay attention to this very issue". It "is a threat to the whole world."

"This means that any country in order to occupy the territory can, urging for changing the real situation, cause suffering to millions of people and to remain unpunished as a result. Therefore, we repeatedly raised this issue before various states and international organizations to apply sanctions against Armenia for this aggression, occupation and war crimes against the peaceful Azerbaijani population," noted the Azerbaijani President.

The idea of ​​the inadmissibility of double standards and, as a consequence, the need to reform the UN Security Council was supported by almost all participants of the Baku Forum. For example, the President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis believes that it is necessary to improve and strengthen the activities of the UN, which can "play an important role in ensuring security and defense, cooperation at economic and social level." Prince Turki al-Faisal emphasized that it was necessary to review the duties of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council so that they can achieve conflict resolution. This is the only way to eliminate the main threat for the region of the South Caucasus - the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

From this point of view, the importance of the forum for Azerbaijan is an important platform for popularizing the country, propaganda of its culture and history, and also as a platform with which the truth about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will once again be invaluable is invaluable. Conventions similar to the Baku Forum also help to gain new friends, create groups of influence in other states in the interests of Azerbaijan.

On the other hand, Baku is gradually turning into a key negotiation platform for resolving regional and even global crises. Although Azerbaijan needs the strengthening of mediation efforts, it is always ready "to be a stabilizing factor in terms of establishing communication between the states that need resolution of problems", as indicated by President Aliyev. For example, in the difficult period, Azerbaijan has tried to do everything possible to normalize Russian-Turkish relations. For the first time ever, in February 2017, the chiefs of the US and Russian General Staffs met in Baku. On March 17, a meeting of foreign ministers of the countries participating in the "Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process" initiative was held in Baku, to which Azerbaijan joined in 2012. Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Hikmet Khalil Karzai, noting the international authority and great opportunities of Azerbaijan, stressed that the country plays an important role in ensuring peace and tranquility in his country. In early May, Azerbaijan will host the 4^th Global Forum on Intercultural Dialogue organized by UNESCO, ISESCO, the Council of Europe, the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

Baku has long been a bridge between cultures and religions. It is required and important to invest the accumulated experience of tolerance and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan in positive initiatives. The Global Baku Forum is one of such initiatives. It is an event that simultaneously enhances the international status of Azerbaijan and gives hope that global problems will be settled through negotiations.