AZERBAIJAN SPEAKER MEETS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART
Speaker of Azerbaijan`s Parliament (Milli Majlis) Ogtay Asadov has met with Chairman of Russia`s State Duma Boris Gryzlov who is visiting Baku.
During the conversation, Mr. Asadov said historical relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have been considerably developing since Azerbaijan`s regaining its independence.
He said thanks to efforts by both states` presidents relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have reached the level of strategic partnership.
The Azeri Speaker emphasized the role of the inter-parliamentary friendship groups and joint commissions in strengthening the two countries` relations.
Touching upon the bilateral economic relations Mr. Asadov said “trade between the two countries was $1.5 billion last year, and there are huge opportunities for increasing the figure in the future”.
The Milli Majlis Chairman also spoke of his country`s conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, and expressed his gratitude to Russia for backing Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.
He also expressed hope that Russia as a co-chair of the Minsk Group will increase its efforts to settle the conflict.
Boris Gryzlov, in his turn, highly appreciated dynamic development in Azerbaijan, and described the country as the CIS leader in terms of economic progress.
According to him, both new president and new premier of the Russian Federation are interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan.
Chairman of the State Duma noted the Russian government intends to increase mutual trade with Azerbaijan to $2 billion this year.
“Moscow plans to build a Russia-Iran railway whose part will pass through Azerbaijan.
This will help increase trade between our countries”, added Gryzlov.
As regards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he stressed Russia supports peaceful solution to the dispute.
Azeri Deputy Speakers Valeh Alasgarov and Bahar Muradova, and Head of the Milli Majlis Administration Safa Mirzayev were present at the event.
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