Azerbaijan, Baku, April 19 / Trend /
Washington hosted the third session of Azerbaijan-US intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation on Wednesday, Azerbaijani Finance Ministry told Trend.
The meeting, co-chaired by Azerbaijani Finance Minister Samir Sharifov, co-chairman of the commission from Azerbaijan, and co-chairman from the U.S., Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Robert D. Hormats, discussed the current state of relations between our two countries in various fields and cooperation prospects.
Opening the meeting, the U.S. co-chairman Hormats stressed that the U.S. is interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan and further deepening of friendly relations between countries, efforts are made to develop relations, and the commission's activities play an important role in mutually beneficial cooperation.
Hormats said that in recent years Azerbaijan has achieved great economic successes, and that is commendable. U.S. co-chairman stressed that these successes have been achieved thanks to leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Stressing that the figures are reflected in the World Bank's reports for 2011 and appreciated by its experts, Hormats said that "the United States welcomes the development of modern economy in Azerbaijan that serves interests of its citizens". "Our two countries should boost cooperation not only in the energy sector, but also on non-oil sector directions, which meet the common interests. At the same time, Azerbaijan's favorable geographical position further increases the country's importance as an international transport corridor," he said.
Stressing that the U.S. businessmen interested in investing in many sectors in Azerbaijan, Hormats said that above all, it is necessary to establish a national strategy for it.
Co-chairman from Azerbaijan Sharifov said at the meeting that thanks to joint efforts the ties have been fully enhanced and deepened, the relations between Azerbaijan and the United States have reached a level of strategic partnership. Sharifov said President Aliyev instructed the Intergovernmental Commission's members to intensify efforts to further expand the current relations between the U.S. and Azerbaijan.
Stressing with regret that Section 907 of the United States Freedom Support Act, introduced in October 1992, is still in force, Sharifov noted that the time has come to repeal the amendment and said that "Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of the U.S. and the fact that "Section 907" is still in force, is inadequate to the relations between the two countries".
The sides stressed that significant progress has been achieved in spheres of political and economic cooperation between the two countries, reciprocal visits are made at high level and an extensive legal framework has been created for the development of relations.
