Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend S. Agayeva / The development of trade and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Switzerland will be discussed by government officials of the two countries in Baku on 14 - 15 November. The negotiations will be held during the next meeting of the Azerbaijani-Swiss intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, Elchin Amirbekov, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Switzerland said on 24 October.
Switzerland's assistance to Azerbaijan in its entrance to the World Trade Organization (WTO), unification of Azerbaijani legislation to international standards, and establishing contacts between economic enterprises will all be discussed during the meeting of the commission, the ambassador said. The commission will also mull over cooperation in transport, banking, and other sectors.
The talks are also expected to focus on the cooperation of the two countries in the energy sphere. The Swiss energy company Elektrizitas-Gesellshaft Laufenburg AG (EGL) is working on the project of constructing a gas pipeline between Albania and Italy. Gas to run via the pipeline will be produced in Azerbaijan and Iran. Supported by the Swiss Government, this project will head the work to further the corridor for gas import to Europe, enabling to diversify the energy supply, particularly, to Switzerland. This pipeline may open a new corridor for transportation of natural gas from the Caspian Sea to the Western Europe, including Italy and Switzerland.
Heydar Babaev, the Azerbaijani Minister for Economic Development is the Co-Chairman of commission. The Swiss Government delegation is headed by the Deputy Economic Minister, the Ambassador said.