Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
March 31 2004
OFFICIAL VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN TO BELARUS
[March 31, 2004, 19:17:19]
Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Artur Rasizadeh staying for an
official visit in Belarus, met on March 30 with leadership and
members of the Board of the international public organization
`Congress Of Azerbaijan Communities of Belarus’ at the conference
hall of the Belarusian capital’s `Zhuravninka’ complex.
Following the opening remarks by Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Belarus
Talat Aliyev, Chairman of the Congress of the Azerbaijani communities
of Belarus, 4 times World Champion, 5 times winner of Judo and Sambo
European Championships, Senior Coach of Belarusian judo national
team, Natig Baghirov warmly greeted the Head of Azerbaijan Government
and introduced the Congress Board’s members, its activists – known
scientists, doctors, public figures and businessmen Rahman Ismaylov,
Hasan Abdullayev, Etibar Baghirov, Rauf Sadykhov, Taptyg Abyshov and
others – to him.
In a warm and amicable atmosphere, Prime Minister Mr. Artur Rasizadeh
called on our compatriots to further consolidation following the
policy declared by President of the world Azerbaijanis Heydar Aliyev.
He told the meeting participants of rapid progress in Azerbaijan in
all spheres of life under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev,
and shared the existing plans on intensification of trade and
economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belarus. Our Belarusian
compatriots, in their turn, assured Premier A. Rasizadeh that they
would further realize the policy of our nationwide leader Heydar
Aliyev and strengthen ties with the historical Motherland.
Mr. A. Rasizadeh presented a canvas with a picture of Baku to the
Congress.
The meeting was attended by first Vice-Premier of Azerbaijan A.
Abbasov, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kh. Khalafov,
high-ranking officials of the Cabinet and diplomats.
***
In the morning, March 31, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Artur
Rasizadeh and members of the governmental delegation laid a wreath at
the pedestal of the monument Eternal Fire on the Victory Square in
Minsk, where state Anthems of Azerbaijan and Belarus have been
performed.
On the same day, the first meeting of Azerbaijan-Belarus
intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was
held at the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.
Co-Chairs of the commission are first Deputy Prime Minister of
Azerbaijan Abbas Abbasov and deputy Head of the Belarusian Government
Andrey Kazakov.
The parties discussed topical issues concerning Belarus-Azerbaijan
relations, and defined perspective trends of trade and economic
cooperation between the two countries. As a result, a Protocol
implying realization of a number of joint projects in the spheres of
industry, agriculture, transport, science, culture, sports and
tourism has been signed. The parties also agreed to hold the
commission’s next meeting by the end of this year in Baku. Following
a one-on-one meeting between Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Artur
and his Belarusian colleague Sergey Sidorskiy, negotiations were held
in a broadened format. Mr. Rasizadeh updated the meeting participants
on various aspects of political and economic life in Azerbaijan, told
of the Armenian military aggression against our country, occupation
as a result, of Azerbaijani territories and over million Azerbaijani
refugees from the conflict. After the talks, the parties signed the
following bilateral documents: agreements on free trade, draft
Protocol on joint actions for realization of the agreements reached
during the negotiations between governmental delegations of
Azerbaijan Republic and the Republic of Belarus, Agreement of Air
Communication, and agreement on cooperation in the field of geodesy
and cartography, organization of the use of land, and land cadastre
between the Committee on Land Resources, Geodesy and Cartography
under the Council of Minister of the Republic of Belarus and State
Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Land and Cartography, and
the Protocol on cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Belarus and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic.
Following the meetings and signing ceremonies, Mr. A. Rasizadeh and
S. Sidorskiy answered the questions from Belarusian and foreign
journalists.
On March 31, Prime Minister A. Rasizadeh visited Close Corporation
`Atlant’, Minsk Motor Car and Tractor factories.
The first official visit of the Head of Azerbaijan Government A.
Rasizadeh to Belarus continues.