Details added (first version posted at 19:11)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 4. The 10th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held in Baku on November 4, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan told Trend.
The meeting chaired by Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay was attended by the heads of relevant public agencies of both countries.
While delivering a welcome speech, Prime Minister Asadov said that relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye had reached the pinnacle of strategic partnership and alliance, highlighting the brotherhood of the heads of the two states, based on mutual trust and respect, as the key factor. He also expressed gratitude to the leadership of Türkiye and the entire fraternal Turkish people for the political and moral support provided to Azerbaijan during the 44-day second Karabakh War.
Furthermore, the official emphasized the Shusha Declaration's role in further strengthening of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye ties. The declaration demonstrated an example of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries to the whole world.
The meeting noted, over the last few years, Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations have gone beyond the bilateral format and become regional thanks to the efforts of President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The successful collaboration between the two countries in various fields was also highly commended.
In addition, the prime minister said the mutual trade of the countries reached $4.35 billion from January through September 2022, increasing by 34 percent. The mentioned growth points to good opportunities for further expanding economic and trade cooperation in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period. In this regard, the decisions and agreements reached the meetings of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Strategic Cooperation Council and the Intergovernmental Commission are of particular significance. He added that enhancing the preferential trade agreement, as well as the implementation of action plans signed between the two countries, will further increase trade turnover.
The sides also outlined that Azerbaijan and Türkiye hold a crucial role in ensuring the energy security of Europe through joint projects, and the development of transport cooperation is of utmost importance in this respect. The transshipped cargo volume between the two countries increased by 60.2 percent in the first nine months of 2022, including transit cargo (by 96.3 percent). It was also noted that the Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu-Sadarak-Nakhchivan-Julfa railway project is of great necessity for ensuring direct railway communication between the major part of Azerbaijan and Türkiye through Nakhchivan.
The officials underscored the opening of the Zangazur corridor and the railway to Nakhchivan will foster further expansion of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye economic and trade ties, as well as will contribute to economic progress of the regional countries. They also pointed out that the opening of transport communication routes could provide good opportunities for cooperation. Meantime, the importance of joint industrial and investment projects was also mentioned.
According to the officials, the Azerbaijan-Türkiye unity proves itself in the restored Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur. Large-scale construction activities, essential infrastructure projects on Azerbaijan's liberated lands involve Turkish companies as well. The participation of President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the inauguration of the first stage of the “Dost Agropark" smart agricultural complex in Zangilan, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the "Azerbaijan-Türkiye International Forestry Training Center", “Smart Seedlings" and "Friendship Forest" Complex in Jabrayil district on October 20 was assessed as another vivid expression of brotherhood between the two countries.
Fuat Oktay welcomed friendly, fraternal and allied relations between the two countries. He noted that the regular meetings of the heads of state make a special contribution to the improvement of these relations. Noting that the Azerbaijan-Türkiye partnership has strengthened even more in recent years, the Vice President said that large-scale transport and energy projects of the two countries are of considerable importance for the region.
The meeting addressed prospects for further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in policy, economy, trade, transport, energy, agriculture, tourism, culture, and healthcare.
In conclusion, Ali Asadov and Fuat Oktay signed the protocol of the 10th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation and action plans covering a number of cooperative areas.
The officials signed the "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Türkiye on cooperation in the field of seed production", "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Türkiye on cooperation in the field of plant protection and quarantine", "Protocol on cooperation between the Food Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Halal Accreditation Agency of the Republic of Türkiye", "Memorandum of Intent between the Azerbaijan Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organisation of Türkiye (KOSGEB) to expand the access of micro-, small and medium enterprises to financial resources", and "Agreement on bilateral cooperation between the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly".