Headline changed, details added (first version posted on 11:49)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 24
Trend:
Azerbaijan and Croatia have good opportunity to develop bilateral cooperation, said Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
He made the remarks during an expanded meeting with Croatia’s President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic in Baku Oct. 24.
“Madam President, dear guests, welcome to Azerbaijan, we are very glad to see you in our country. It’s a very important visit of president of Croatia to our country,” said Ilham Aliyev.
“We just have had an opportunity to exchange views on bilateral issues, regional issues, issues related to security. And as we see, our positions coincide,” he noted. “We want to develop bilateral cooperation. It’s a good opportunity now. We have close political connections in different areas. Madam President’s visit once again shows that tomorrow we’ll have a very interesting session of the business communities. We need to see how we can increase the level of mutual trade and investments and see other opportunities.”
“Of course, cooperation in the energy area is of extreme importance. We are partners in the Southern Gas Corridor which is being implemented on time,” said the Azerbaijani president. “We have a very broad agenda. Also, of course, we have EU-Azerbaijan cooperation where Croatia plays a very important role, and we want to see more development on this track.”
“I think our countries established very close partnership relations in many areas and we need now to see what else we can do, especially in the area of trade, economic development, business-to-business contacts because, as I said, political relations are very good, and they will be even better after your visit,” noted Ilham Aliyev.
“I am sure that the visit will be very successful and will be another important step towards the development of our friendly cooperation. Madam President, once again welcome,” he added.
The two presidents discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of economy, high technologies, expansion of trade, shipbuilding, transportation, energy, agriculture, food industry, tourism, and pharmaceutical industry.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic reaffirmed Croatia’s support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The importance of Azerbaijan-Croatia relations within Azerbaijan-EU cooperation was stressed at the meeting.