RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 18, 2007 Friday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay an official visit to
Azerbaijan on May 21-22, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Lavrov will meet with Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev, Prime
Minister Artur Rasi-zade and Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov.

The meetings will centre on the "implementation of the top-level
accords on bringing the inter-state relations to a qualitatively
new level by improving interaction in all spheres," the Foreign
Ministry said.

Lavrov and Mamedyarov "will discuss a possibility for deepening the
cooperation within the framework of the CIS, enhancing the coordination
of actions in international organizations".

"There will be review of steps for interaction in the UN, OSCE and
the Council of Europe".

The foreign ministers will also discuss Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

"Russia is set to assist the sides in the conflict in finding a
compromise solution. But main responsibility for the final choice
of a settlement formula is with the Azerbaijanis and the Armenians,"
the Foreign Ministry said.

Russia "would be ready to support an option of solving the problem
that suits the sides, and in case of reaching a compromise accord it
will act as a guarantor of settlement".

Lavrov will discuss during his visit the matter of the Caspian Sea’s
status, security in the region and prospect for holding the second
Caspian summit.

"The assessment by Azerbaijan’s leader of the current state and
prospects of relations between our countries is important for us. For
Russia, Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner for a long-term
prospect."

"The economic aspect of cooperation is getting an increasing
importance. The high tempo of economic growth in Russia and Azerbaijan
increases the attractiveness of the countries in terms of the
development of mutually beneficial cooperation. Prospects open for
broadening the interaction in the fuel and energy sector, in the
field of research-intensive technology, the innovation activity,
as well as for broadening the economic ties between Russia’s regions
and Azerbaijan," the Foreign Ministry said.