PAPOULIAS RECEIVES VISITING AZERI PRESIDENT
Athens News Agency
February 16, 2009 Monday
President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Monday received the
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, who is on an official visit to
Greece. They held talks on ways to further develop bilateral relations
between Greece and Azerbaijan.
Private talks between the two presidents were preceded by an official
ceremony of welcome, where the government was represented by Culture
Minister Antonis Samaras and Deputy Merchant Marine and Island Policy
Minister Panagiotis Kammenos. There was then a meeting with the full
delegations of the Greek and Azeri sides attending.
This culminated in the signature of four bilateral agreements: one
for avoiding double taxation and preventing tax evasion, which was
signed by Greek Deputy Finance Minister Antonis Bezas and Azeri
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov; a flight services agreement
signed by Deputy Transport Minister Mihalis Bekiris and Azerbaijan
Airlines general director OYeioouniaoAnTHORNouniaoJakhangir Askerov;
an infotech and communications agreement signed by Bekiris and the
Azeri Communications and Information Technology Minister Ali Abbasov;
and finally a memorandum of understanding in renewable energy sources
and energy efficiency sectors, signed by Development Minister Kostis
Hatzidakis and Azeri Minister of Energy and Industries Natiq Aliyev.
In statements afterward, Papoulias said the two countries gave priority
to energy issues, investments, trade and cooperation in cultural and
educational matters. He said the talks with Aliyev had also focused
on Azerbaijan’s relations with the European Union, in the framework
of strengthening the Community’s relations with Baku.
Their talks also covered current affairs in the surrounding region,
including the Caucasus, the Middle East, the Balkans and the Cyprus
issue.
"I referred particularly to the Cyprus issue and stressed to the Azeri
president the need to end the Turkish occupation of a large part of
the territory of a European country," Papoulias said, while thanking
Aliyev for his invitation to visit Azerbaijan, which he accepted.
Aliyev noted that he was the first president of Azerbaijan to carry
out an official visit to Greece and emphasised the significance of the
visit, expressing confidence that it would result in an improvement
and new period of progress in bilateral relations.
He also emphasised the issue of energy security, saying that Azerbaijan
had done a lot to give the rest of the world access to its considerable
energy resources.
"The relationship that Greece is now developing with Azerbaijan
will help in this direction. The issue of energy security is a major
priority of the international community and Azerbaijan is making every
effort to increase the energy security of Europe. For over a year now,
natural gas from Azerbaijan is reaching the Greek market. From there
it comes into Europe. There is no doubt that much more could be done
in this sector," Aliyev stressed.
Azerbaijan’s president said a meeting between business people of
the two countries on Tuesday would undoubtedly lead to a host of
opportunities for business on both sides.
Aliyev also raised the issue of the Armenia’s occupation of
Azerbaijan’s territory and the over one million refugees and internally
displaced persons in the country that resulted from this conflict. "In
order to resolve this conflict there must be absolute respect for the
principle of territorial integrity and international law. I believe
that if Armenia respects this principle, the issue will be resolved,"
Aliyev said.