FM MEETS WITH DELEGATION OF FM OF SOUTH AFRICA

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 13 2006

Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with visiting delegation
of the South African Foreign Ministry’s Department of Central and East
Asia led by the country’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Bhekizizwe Gila,
according to the press service of the Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

The Ambassador said that the main goal of the visit is to explore
ways of boosting relations between the two countries.

The Azeri Minister pointed out great potential for cooperation in
various areas between Azerbaijan and South Africa, which he said is
one of the leading countries in the United Nations system.

The sides agreed on organizing reciprocal visits and meetings of
businessmen and relevant authorities of the two countries to improve
their ties in the fields of politics, economy, tourism and etc.

Mr. Mammadyarov answered a wide range of questions covering political,
social and economic situation in Azerbaijan, the country’s relationship
with other nations of the region, and other topics.

He said Azerbaijan is an initiator of the large scaled energy and
transport projects, and is experiencing rapid economic development
with 26 percent GDP and 47 percent industrial production growth.

Touching on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
Elmar Mammadyarov said Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s
territory, and conducted ethnic cleansing here. He noted that
Azerbaijan supports peaceful solution to the conflict adding that
Armenia must release the occupied territories and Azerbaijani refugees
and internally displaces persons return to their home lands," he said.

The parties also discussed a wide range of other issues of mutual
interest.