Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 March /corr. Trend U.Ismaylova / The National Insurance Institute of Israel has suggested the Social Protection Fund of Azerbaijan to ensure social insurance of the Jews who resided in Azerbaijan during the former Soviet period and moved to Israel, the Head of the Fund, Salim Muslimov, said in Baku on 11 March.
"Signing such an agreement was initiated by the Israeli side, but we are going to sign a bilateral agreement on the basis of other issues," Muslimov said.
On 11 March a meeting took place at the Social Protection Fund of Azerbaijan between officials of the Fund and the Israeli delegation headed by Israel's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Artur Lenk. According to Muslimov, the Israelis suggested the Fund ensure the social insurance (pensions) of Jews who resided in Azerbaijan during the Soviet period and are currently residing in Israel.
Muslimov said that as yet the Fund has not agreed to sign such an agreement, especially as the Fund has not signed any analogical agreements with other countries. "We intend to study their experience. If such agreement exists, it would be interesting from the point of view of additional information as well," Muslimov said.
The Azerbaijani side considers that it is realistic to sign a bilateral agreement on the mutual social provision of all citizens (Jews in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in Israel) residing in both countries, considering their length of service, including the Soviet period.
The Social Protection Fund of Azerbaijan has a protocol on its intentions for mutual social provision with Turkey, Georgia, Poland and Ukraine.
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