BAKU, FEB 12 – Azerbaijan has transformed geopolitical realities into geopolitical opportunities, Assistant of the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev said during The John Batchelor Show, reports Feb. 12.

“In terms of political development Azerbaijan is a young democracy,” Hajiyev noted. “There is no perfect model of democracy. But Azerbaijan also takes into account the experience of our friends and partners, also taking the historical heritage of Azerbaijani people.”

Since gaining independence, Azerbaijan has managed to build normal and stable relations with its neighbors and also provide regional peace and security for the benefit of Azerbaijani people and also for the benefit of the country’s regional partners, the presidential assistant said.

“We appreciate the support of the US to Azerbaijan since its early days of independence,” Hajiyev added. “Without the support of the US, it would have been almost impossible for Azerbaijan to independently export its natural resources to the international market, to sustain and strengthen our independence and also contribute to the independence and prosperity of our neighbors.”

“In general, in the foreign policy doctrine of Azerbaijan, we are proceeding from the key concept of having normal and stable relations with neighbors,” said the presidential assistant.

“Regarding our neighbors, we have built stable relations at the level of partnership with Russia, and we have now extensive dialogue and understanding,” Hajiyev noted. “With regard to Iran, we have centuries-old history of relations with this country and Iranian people. Turkey is yet another important partner and friend of Azerbaijan in this neighborhood. We have brotherly relations with Turkey. Therefore, Azerbaijan has transformed these geopolitical realities into geopolitical opportunities.”