AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 23 2004

Bulgarian President to visit Azerbaijan

Numerous visits by official Bulgarian and Azerbaijani delegations are
expected in late September-early October, Charge D’affaires of
Bulgaria in Azerbaijan Ivan Palchev told journalists.

On September 27, an Azeri parliament delegation led by speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov will leave for Sofia on a four-day visit. On October 6,
Baku will host a meeting of the inter-governmental commission on
economic cooperation, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of
Bulgaria Nikolay Vasilyev and Azerbaijan Abid Sharifov. On October
7-8, Bulgarian President Georgi Pirvanov is scheduled to pay an
official visit to Azerbaijan. He will arrive in Baku with his wife
Zorka Pirvanova after visiting Armenia on October 5-6. A number of
documents are to be signed during President Privanov’s visit.

The parties have already coordinated inter-governmental agreements on
collaboration in the area of international cargo transportation and
commercial navigation. Work on an agreement on mutually protecting
and encouraging investments is also underway, while a document on
eliminating double taxation is to be prepared by the time President
Ilham Aliyev visits Bulgaria next year. An agreement between the
state news agencies of Azerbaijan, AzerTaj, and of Bulgaria, BTA,
will be signed in Baku as well. Palchev said that currently the legal
framework of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria includes
only 12 documents, which does not reflect the potential for bilateral
relations. The turnover of goods between the two countries makes up
only $4 million, excluding $17 million paid by Bulgaria for
Azerbaijani oil this year. The diplomat also supported Bulgaria’s
extensive involvement in the transportation of Caspian oil through
its territory. An Azeri-Bulgarian business forum will be held during
the Bulgarian President’s visit. The Bulgarian embassy is also
preparing to open a Center of Economic Information in Baku. Palchev
also said that great opportunities exist for developing cooperation
in the area of agriculture, and that Bulgarian companies could act as
contractors for developing relevant infrastructure in Azerbaijan.
Touching upon political issues, the Bulgarian diplomat said his
country supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He refuted
numerous press reports that Bulgaria is selling weaponry to Armenia.
“Until the Upper Garabagh conflict is resolved, Bulgaria will not
cooperate with Azerbaijan or Armenia in the military field.” Palchev
continued that Bulgaria’s Defense Ministry successfully interacts
with the defense ministries of Azerbaijan and Armenia, but this is
confined to technical collaboration. Azerbaijani Defense Minister
Safar Abiyev is expected to pay an official visit to Sofia late in
October to discuss with his Bulgarian counterpart prospects for
cooperation. Palchev added that Sofia continues to adhere to its
position on the Upper Garabagh conflict and believes that
“Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity must be preserved, and granting
any status to Upper Garabagh is a prerogative of Azerbaijan”.

Bulgarian Culture Center
The opening ceremony of a Bulgarian Culture Center will be held at
the Baku Slavic University in October and attended by Bulgarian
President Privanov. The goal of the new entity is to expand relations
between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in the area of science, education and
culture, a source from the University said. Considering the fact that
Bulgarian language is taught only at the Slavic University, the new
center will provide students with an opportunity to become closely
familiar with the country’s culture, language, politics, and economy.