AZERI DEPUTY SPEAKER, BRITISH BARONESS DISCUSSED TIES

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2006

Baku, 30 November: Valeh Alasgarov, deputy chairman of the Milli Maclis
[Azerbaijani parliament], received Baroness O’Cathain, a member of
the British House of Lords, today.

The parliament’s press service told APA that during the meeting
Alasgarov said that Azerbaijan attached great importance to the
development of relations with the UK, and reciprocal visits by state
and government officials played a great role in the development
of cooperation.

Alasgarov briefed the guest on reforms being carried out in various
spheres and democratic processes in Azerbaijan: "Political, economic
and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UK is currently
developing. BP is closely involved in oil and gas production and
transport in our country. At the same time, British companies also
show great interest in the non-oil sector in our country."

Alasgarov said that the UK’s support for Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict was highly assessed.

Baroness O’Cathain said that Azerbaijan’s authority in the region
and international arena was growing day by day.

[The Azerbaijani state news agency Azartac reported at 1742 gmt 30
Nov 06 that Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Baroness O’Cathain
discussed the Karabakh conflict, regional projects and the fight
against international terrorism today.]