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Azerbaijan urges regional WHO offices to desist from making statements that undermine peace and to tighten control

21 May 2023 19:11 (UTC +04:00)

On May 21, the opening ceremony of the 76th session of the World Health Assembly was held at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The Republic of Azerbaijan is represented in the Assembly by a delegation headed by Health Minister Teymur Musayev, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health told APA.

A bilateral meeting was held between WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Henry Kluge and the Azerbaijani delegation within the framework of the assembly. Health Minister Teymur Musayev emphasized that our country attaches great importance to cooperation with the World Health Organization: "Azerbaijan has been closely cooperating with the prestigious health organization since 1992. During the past period, successful projects have been implemented at the regional and global levels."

The minister also noted the work done in the country in the fight against COVID-19, as well as the assistance provided and initiatives taken by Azerbaijan at the international level.

Later, Minister Teymur Musayev expressed his concern to the other side about the spread of untrue, biased, and out-of-mandate opinions about the sovereign territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan by WHO officials in the Armenian media following a meeting between Armenia's Minister of Health and officials from the World Health Organization's Representation in that country.

Hans Kluge said that he contacted the Organization's representation in Armenia about the issue, that no opinion regarding Azerbaijan was expressed in the meeting held between the World Health Organization's Representation in Armenia and the Minister of Health, and in general, the WHO condemned attacks against medical personnel in the world. Hans Kluge emphasized that no information about the incident was published on the official website of the WHO.

At the meeting, the Azerbaijani side called on WHO offices in the region to refrain from any political statements that hinder the efforts towards the peace agenda in the region and to strengthen the control of these activities by the Organization's leadership. Hans Kluge expressed confidence that the WHO will continue its activities in a neutral and impartial manner without politicization.

Then, Hans Henri Kluge emphasized that WHO's cooperation with Azerbaijan is very successful. Concerning coronavirus illness, the regional director of the WHO for Europe expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan's leadership for taking the humane step of supplying COVID-19 vaccines to other countries. He also highly appreciated the activities of Azerbaijan during the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement.

At the meeting, the existing close relations between the organization and our country and the prospects of future cooperation in the field of healthcare were discussed.

Notably, Health Minister Teymur Musayev's speech at the plenary session, bilateral meetings with the health ministers of the member countries of the organization and other working events are planned within the framework of the session of the World Health Assembly.

The 76th session of the World Health Assembly will conclude on May 30. The Health Assembly is the highest policy-making body of WHO.