Baku, Azerbaijan, June 15
Trend:
Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni will visit Azerbaijan in coming months, Italian media reported.
Gentiloni spoke about his visit at the 4th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Italy and Azerbaijan, held June 13 in Rome.
The minister said Italy relies on Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus and noted that from a geopolitical point of view, Azerbaijan has a strategic position and great economic potential; it is a key country linking Europe with Asia, as well as Italy's partner.
Speaking about the visits of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to Italy in 2014 and 2015, as well as the mutual visits, Gentiloni said the Italian side wants that there were more official visits.
The minister also touched upon the importance of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project in strengthening the Italian-Azerbaijani partnership.
He said the project is strategically important for Italy's economy and the Azerbaijani gas will be supplied to Italy via this pipeline in 2020.
Gentiloni went on to add that the trade turnover between Italy and Azerbaijan amounted to five billion euros in 2015 and Azerbaijan's demand for Italian products is increasing.
Italy wants to increase its exports to Azerbaijan, he added.
He also said the economic cooperation between the two countries shouldn't be limited to the energy sector; there are opportunities for cooperation in various fields.
Speaking about the importance of relations in cultural sphere, Gentiloni emphasized the attention paid by the Azerbaijani side, in particular, by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to this sphere.
The foreign minister also noted that Italy too must make efforts for restoring peace and stability in the Caucasus and for a constructive and fruitful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU.
He added that Italy supports the efforts of Germany, which chairs the OSCE, for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The minister assured that in case of Italy's election as the OSCE Chair in 2018, the country will make every effort to resolve the conflict.
The 4th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held with participation of Azerbaijan's delegation, led by the country's energy minister and the Commission's co-chairman Natig Aliyev, and various state structures representing the country.
Along with the Commission's session, an Azerbaijani-Italian business forum was held the same day in Rome with participation of the two countries' leading companies.