BAKU, Azerbaijan,
September 3. Azerbaijan should be able to draw
more on international expertise, technology and donor support in
demining, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Pere Joan
Pons Sampietro said in an exclusive interview with Trend, as he visited today Baku.
The OSCE PA president noted that landmines are a tragic,
long-term consequence of conflict that require immediate and
sustained international attention.
“The scale of mine and explosive-remnant contamination remains a
serious humanitarian and development challenge for Azerbaijan. The
ANAMA conference this week has demonstrated clearly that demining
is not simply a technical issue: it is about civilian safety,
return, reconstruction and livelihoods, all of which, of course,
are essential for economic development,” he said.
Sampietro believes that international cooperation is
indispensable.
“Azerbaijan should be able to draw more on international
expertise, technology and donor support as clearance and
reconstruction continue. Our Assembly is an important platform to
sustain the attention towards these issues on the international
agenda and create opportunities for further cooperation between our
countries,” he added.
