PROGRAMME OF RUSSIAN FM’S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN MADE PUBLIC
News.Az
Thu 29 March 2012 09:42 GMT | 10:42 Local Time
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov is to pay an official
visit to Azerbaijan.
During the upcoming visit to Baku, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov will discuss issues of bilateral trade-economic,
inter-regional and cross-border cooperation, and humanitarian aspects
of the relationship, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
the status of the Caspian Sea, and cooperation within international
organizations.
The statement came from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Earlier it was reported that Lavrov’s visit to Baku will be held on
April 3-4. On the eve of the visit the Russian minister will hold
meetings in Yerevan. Both visits are confined to the 20th anniversary
of diplomatic relations.
In Baku, Lavrov is to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
Prime Minister Artur Racizade and Chairman of the Milli Majlis Ogtay
Asadov. He is also to hold expanded talks with Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov.
“We view Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in the Caucasus and the
Caspian region. We develop relations on the basis of equality, mutual
respect for interests and good neighborly relations “, the ministry’s
statement says.
Russian side hopes effective work of the Intergovernmental Commission
on economic cooperation in trade and economic sphere to be discussed
between Lavrov and Mammadyarov, as well as the implementation of
major joint projects, including in the energy field.
According to the Foreign Ministry, last year the bilateral trade
exceeded $ 2.5 bn, and the potential for its further increase has
not been exhausted.
The agenda still includes the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
especially in light of the recent meeting between the presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Sochi on 23 January.
“Russia welcomes the willingness of conflicting parties to accelerate
the achievement of an agreement on basic principles for taking into
account the work done so far and it will fully support both in the
trilateral format,and as the co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group,” the
Foreign Ministry says.
The issue of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation between
Russia and Azerbaijan as a key element of bilateral relations will
also not be left unattended.
Ministers will consider humanitarian subjects of the
Russian-Azerbaijani relations. In this regard, it is important to
note the new joint project, launched in 2011 – Baku International
Humanitarian Forum.
“We hope that it will become a promising regional and international
cooperation format,” the Foreign Ministry says.