GEO Pakistan
July 9 2004

Pakistan, Azerbaijan sign four accords

BAKU: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have signed four agreements for
enhancing cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev ensured support to Pakistan for
seeking just resolution of the Kashmir issue.
President Musharraf and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed a
joint declaration for boosting cooperation in various fields.
During the formal talks, the two sides explored ways of broadening
their economic relations. They signed four agreements at Presidential
Palace in Baku including cooperation in anti terrorism drive,
eradication of drugs, customs related issues and agreements for
enhancing relations in culture and politics.
Federal Minister for Industries and Production Liaquat Jatoi,
Petroleum Minister Chaudhry Nauraiz Shakoor and Foreign Secretary
Riaz Khokhar signed agreements for Pakistan. Azeri Minister of
Interior, head of the customs committee and minister for youth
affairs and culture signed agreements on behalf of their country.
Azeri President Aliyev in a banquet in the honor of President
Musharraf said the visit would promote mutual cooperation and
bilateral relations between the two countries. He also ensured
support to Pakistan for just resolution of the Kashmir issue.

President Musharraf said “In international questions our positions
are close and on issues of the Islamic world, like the Palestine
question, questions of Iraq and Afghanistan, we have agreed to
coordinate our actions in the future.”

General Musharraf reciprocated Azerbaijan’s backing for Pakistan over
Kashmir by saying that his country backed Baku’s efforts to regain
control over Karabakh, which is under Armenian control.

After talks between the Pakistani and Azeri heads of state, the two
leaders and their officials signed a series of agreements covering
tourism, customs and combating the drugs trade and international
terrorism.

Earlier, the two leaders held one-to-one meeting during which they
expressed the desire to strengthen Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations.
They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of
common interest.