Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. I.Khalilova / The first cooperation between the Azerbaijani-Turkmenistan intergovernmental commission on economic and humanitarian issues is planning to hold at the mid of January 2008, the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers reported.
The relations between the counties were interrupted and now it is necessary to develop bases for the negotiations, composition of the commission and to define issues of the cooperation.
The agenda of the meeting is being specified with Turkmenistan. The directions of the economic cooperation in oil and gas sector will be discussed during the meeting, as well as there are plans to include pay of Azerbaijan's debt to Turkmenistan. The volume of the debt will be concretized during the negotiations. Turkmenistan insists upon increase of the sum in three times. The official Baku considers that Azerbaijan's debt totals to $18mln for purchase of the Turkmen gas, but Turkmenistan insists oupon the sum of $56mln for accrued interest.
Besides accrued interest, Turkmenistan does not take into consideration the goods which Azerbaijan had sent to Turkmenistan in exchange for the gas at the beginning of 1990s. The goods were lost on the way to Turkmenistan. However, Azerbaijan does not responsible for these lose and law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan went to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan to disclose the case. The Azerbaijani Financial Ministry the sides can agree on percent payment of the debt.
Yagub Eyyubov, the Azerbaijani first Vice Premier, was appointed the chairman of the national issues of the commission and the Turkmen Vice Premier Khidir Saparliyev, was appointed a co-chairman. The national composition of the commission was formed by the order of the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on 20 June 2007.
The commission unites the Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Minister Natik Aliyev, chairman Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev, chairman of the State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Reside Abroad Nazim Ibrahimov, chief of the Azerbaijani State Railroad Arif Askarov and head of the State Caspian Shipping Company Aydin Bashirov, president of the Azerenerji company Etibar Pirverdiyev, chairman of the Azeriqaz CJSC Alikhan Malikov, first Deputy Financial Minister Ilgar Fatizadeh, Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov, Minister of Economic Development Mikail Jabbarov, Transport Minister Musa Panahov, Agricultural Minister Ilham Guliyev, Cultural and Sports Minister Adalat Valiyev, Vice-President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan on Investments and Marketing Elshad Nasirov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Turkmenistan Elkhan Huseynov, head of the Economic Relations with the CIS Cabinet of Ministers Kamal Ismailzadeh.