Baku, Azerbaijan, April 6
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
The Open Skies Agreement signed between Azerbaijan and the US will allow airlines of the both countries to work freely in the territory of each other, Arif Mammadov, vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) told reporters Apr.6.
The work on this agreement has been conducted for more than four years, he said.
"There were many obstacles and controversies, as well as demands of both sides," said Mammadov. "The fact is that the US has similar agreements with 127 countries, and they did not want to do any exceptions for us."
"However, the will of aviation structures and governments of the two countries contributed to the fact that the document has been signed, and we have ensured that the interests of our central bodies were taken into account," he noted.
"For example, AZAL will have the right to receive in the US territory the passengers traveling to any third country, as well as the goods addressed to any third country, the right to disembark passengers and unload cargo directed from any area in the US, while the US companies that will come to Azerbaijan will be able to offer their services and work here on a free basis," explained Mammadov.
Therefore, this document lifts all possible restrictions that exist in civil aviation between the two countries, he added.
Vice president expressed his hope that the agreement will be ratified in a short period of time.
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