Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Oct 9 2004
VISIT OF FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN TO ITALY
[October 09, 2004, 13:12:03]
On 6-8 October, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mammadyarov on the invitation of senator of the Veneto region Mr.
Juseppe Gaburro has been with an official visit to Italy.
As was informed to AzerTAj from the press center of the ministry, the
purpose of visit to Veneto consisted in carrying out of meetings with
business circles of region, giving information on economic
opportunities of Azerbaijan and carrying out discussions in the field
of attraction of the local companies to Azerbaijan.
At the city of Abano Terme, province of Padova, there started a
conference on presentation of Azerbaijan. President of the province,
heads of local law-enforcement bodies, Mayor of Abano city, rector of
the Padova University, other officials attended the meeting held at
the business center with participation of 100 companies. The Chamber
of Commerce of Padova and the Azerbaijan-Italy Chamber of Commerce
just functioning in Italy organized the event.
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in his remarks at the conference informed
about important geo-politic and economic situation of Azerbaijan, its
rich natural resources, the successes achieved at macroeconomic
level, large power projects carried out in the country. Having noted,
that development of non-oil sector is a priority question with a view
of branching of economy in Azerbaijan, the Minister has stopped on
the ample opportunities available in the field of agriculture,
manufacture of chemical, textile-knitted wear, food production, in
spheres of tourism, processing of leather, etc. He has emphasized
wide experience of the small and medium companies of Italy in these
spheres, has invited them to Azerbaijan. Then, the Minister has
answered questions of participants of action.
Elmar Mammadyarov has met in Venice Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the Veneto region Ms. Marialuisa Coppola. At the meeting, discussed
were the question of establishment of direct communications between
Azerbaijan and Veneto, value of economic experience of Veneto.
At the meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of
Vatican Juseppe Loyano, on 7 October, were held discussions on
prospects of development of links, opportunities of opening in Baku
of diplomatic representatives of the State of Vatican, the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh problem, and also exchange of
vies on the international questions, in particular, position in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
The same day, Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov has met Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Italy Franco Frattini. The sides have emphasized high
level of relations between Azerbaijan and Italy in political,
economic, humanitarian spheres, value of the further development of
cooperation in the field of economy, in particular, in non-oil
sector. Discussions also concerned meetings and actions, which will
be carried out within the framework of the program of official visit
of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Italy forthcoming in
the first quarter 2005. At the meeting, the sides had exchange of
views concerning peace settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict on the basis of norms and principles of
international law, and also the general position on the Caucasus.
At the meeting with chairman of the commission of foreign relations
of the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament of Italy Gustavo Selva and
Chairman of the Italian Senate Marcello Pero, discussed were issues
of present state of relations between two countries and
inter-parliamentary ties, the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, global political problems.