NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: AZERBAIJANI AND FRENCH PRESIDENTS WANT TO DEVELOP INTERSTATE RELATIONS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2007

"Political, economic and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and
France are on very high level and the heads of the two states want to
develop these relations on both bilateral and multilateral stage,"
chief of President’s Office international affairs department Novruz
Mammadov told APA exclusively.

Commenting on President Ilham Aliyev’s expected visit to France,
Novruz Mammadov called Azerbaijan an important state of the region.

"Azerbaijan can have an influence not only on ongoing processes in
the region, but also in the world, the country closely participates
in ongoing processes in the world and is one of the main participants
of the processes related to energy security and energy infrastructure
in Eurasia. And France is one of the leading states of the European
Union and the world. New President was elected in the country, he has
already met with the heads of Russia and European Union member-states,
visited US. France prefers to be aware about ongoing processes in
the world and cooperate with influential states for demonstrating
its impact, to exchange views with their heads, carry out debates. I
think that it is realizable that President of France wants to meet
with Azerbaijani President, because Azerbaijani President’s position
on bilateral relations and regional and international issues is
appreciated positively and taken into account in France, America and
other countries. As France is a co-chair of Minsk Group, negotiations
on the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict should have significance,
because France is also responsible for the solution of the conflict,"
he said.

Novruz Mammadov said that the head of the state will pay an official
visit to France, therefore the main aim is not to sign interstate
agreements, but exchange views on the issues of concerning mutual
interests of the heads of the two states.