Baku, November 25 (AZERTAC). Saudi Arabian “Arab news” newspaper has published an article titled “Saudi trade team to discuss trade, investment in Azerbaijan”.

The article says: “The 3rd session of the Joint Commission on Cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, technical, cultural, sport and youth spheres between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan will take place in Baku on Dec. 10-11.

This was disclosed to Arab News Wednesday by Samir Maliki, first secretary at the Azerbaijan Embassy, here. He said the 60-member Saudi delegation will be led by Abdullatif Al-Othman, governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA).

According to him, on the Azerbaijan side, Shahin Mustafayev, minister of economic and industry and co-chair of the commission, will lead his country’s delegation. Major exports of Azerbaijan, including petroleum oils, crude, petroleum oils, refined petroleum gases, cruise ships and similar vessels for persons and raw sugarcane. The country also is known for its cotton product.

The Kingdom, represented by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), has helped Azerbaijan by giving financial assistance for various projects.

In 2002, within the framework of projects for the construction of secondary schools in Baku, SFD had extended a loan amounting to SR35.7 million to Azerbaijan. In 2005, the Saudi government provided financial assistance worth $50,000 for de-mining operations and also rehabilitation of people in the liberated territories of the country.

In an exclusive interview last year, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Rasim Rzayev stated that Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia have concluded 12 agreements between them, while 10 more deals are expected to be signed in the near future.

He said four Saudi companies from various fields operate in Azerbaijan. Last year in Baku they signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of long-term projects in the Kingdom in oil and gas between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan and the Saudi company Soroof International.

“The friendly relations between the leaders of the two countries play an important role in the development of bilateral relations. Also, there is ongoing cooperation in the field of medicine. Azerbaijani doctors in Saudi Arabia have a high respect for this country. By working here, they have proved that they have a sound knowledge and rich experience,” he added.

It was on February 24, 1992 that Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom, which was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan. In April 1994, the Azerbaijani Embassy was opened in Riyadh, followed by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Baku in June 1999.

“Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia promote comprehensive brotherhood,” he observed. “This relationship of mutual respect and sincere friendship strengthens our similar histories and common Islamic heritage. Our peoples have similar roots in the culture and traditions, as well as in religion,” he added. During the pilgrimage season (1998-1999) 250 pilgrims from Azerbaijan visited Makkah and Madinah as a guest of the King Fahd.

Saudi Arabia is one of the first countries that provided active humanitarian assistance. From 1994-1999, Saudi Arabia, starting with the program under King Fahd, has been repeatedly providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and IDPs and provided them food, medicine and other necessities. Several disabled persons of Karabakh war in 1999 were treated in Saudi Arabia.”