Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend I.Khalilova / The Minister of Economic Development of Azerbaijan, Heydar Babayev, said that the Government of Kazakhstan offered Azerbaijan to regulate the port tariff collections in accordance with the signed Inter-Governmental Agreement. The Agreement envisages applying the regime to the Kazakh vessels, which is applied to the Azerbaijani vessels.
"The tariffs applied to the local vessels are lower than the tariffs defined for them by Aktau port, but they correspond with tariffs applied to Kazakh vessels. It means that the Government of Azerbaijan is not guilty morally, but according to the document, should not apply various tariff regimes," the Minister said.
This issue was discussed on 11 May in Aktau during Babayev's visit to attend the exhibition on presentation of the investment opportunities of Western Kazakhstan. "We consider that the Kazakh side has understood the essence of the issue and probably we will reconsider to increase the tariffs so that formally not to break any conditions of the Inter-Governmental Agreement," Babayev said.
In addition, serious discussions took place in Aktau on transportation of the energy resources of Kazakhstan, participation of the Kazakh fleet in transportation via Caspian basin and further transportation to Batumi or Poti ports. Moreover, tariff issues were discussed. "We should offer net tariffs defined by body which may make it according to the legislation," the Minister said.
Presently Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan discuss the issue of synchronizing the tariffs so that one country does not receive profits more than other country. According to the Minister, if any of the countries define tariffs according to their own option, it may affect the direction of the flow. Within the trade co-operation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, debates were organized on the issues of transportation of the Azerbaijani commodities, creation of storehouses in Aktau port where Azerbaijani cargos will be accumulated for further realization.