All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan (APPGA) was set up in order to 'develop good relations between the legislatures and governments of our two countries.'[1]
Contents
People
Officers, July 2015 - March 2016
- Chair - Bob Blackman - Conservative Party
- Vice-chair - Mark Menzies - Conservative Party
- Vice-chair - Angus MacNeil - Scottish National Party
- Vice-chair - Baroness Zahida Manzoor - Liberal Democrats
- Vice-chair - Lord John Taylor - Crossbench
- Secretary - Roger Godsiff - Labour [2] [1]
Fact-finding mission
In May 2011, a delegation of five members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan took on a five day 'fact finding mission' to explore the challenges and prospects facing the country.
The delegation included:
- Mark Field - acting chair
- Gerry Sutcliffe
- Stephen Hammond
- Bob Blackman
- Lord Dennis Rogan
- Lord John Taylor [3]
Mark Field, chairman of the APPGA at the time of the visit, was briefed on helping to expand Azerbaijan's substantive oil and gas exports, increasing Britain's investments there and the country's ongoing war with Armenia. He commented:
- I felt it was important to bring Parliamentary colleagues from both Houses and different parties to see for themselves the many opportunities – and challenges – existing in this strategically vital country and region. In recent years, Azerbaijan has charted one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and has used that wealth to rebuild its infrastructure, educate its young people, and house around one million refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have suffered at the hands of Armenian aggression. It is a model secular Muslim state, and we witnessed for ourselves the religious tolerance that is extended to all faiths.'[3]
Secretariat
The European Azerbaijan Society acts as the secretariat to the group, helping to manage events and fund activities or meetings.
Contact
Martine Martin office of Bob Blackman.
Address: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
Tel: 0207 219 7082
Email: martine.martin@parliament.uk
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Azerbaijan APPG Register, parliament.uk, accessed 11 November 2015
- ↑ Azerbaijan APPG Register Mar 2016, www.parliament.uk, accessed 27 April 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 'UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meets Azerbaijani President', 1/06/2011, The European Azerbaijan Society, accessed 11 November 2015
