POLITICS
ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS MILLI MAJLIS
The delegation of the Italian parliament led by Chair of its Foreign Affairs Commission Umberto Ranieri visited the Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan) on Thursday.
After viewing the Parliament`s session hall and the Heydar Aliyev Museum, the delegation met with Speaker Ogtay Asadov.
The Milli Majlis Chairman said Azerbaijan has noticeably developed its relations with Italy since his country gained its independence.
Asadov described Italy as Azerbaijan`s closest trading partner, and added that trade between the two countries was $430 million during the first half of 2007.
The Azeri Speaker said Azerbaijan is leading the world in the economic growth rate.
He noted the inauguration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway under construction increase Azerbaijan`s international prestige.
Asadov stressed the Italian delegation`s visit will give a huge boost to enhancement of interparliamentary relations between the two countries.
On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Speaker said it poses threat not only to Azerbaijan and the region, but also to the whole of Europe.
Ogtay Asadov said the UN Security Council and the Council of Europe has four and two resolutions on the issue respectively, but that Armenia continues to reject all documents and international legal norms.
He emphasized Armenia must be pressed on to accept international legal norms so that the conflict be peacefully solved.
Umberto Ranieri said he is in Azerbaijan to discuss how the two countries can boost their relations in all areas.
He said Italy is keen to develop ties with Azerbaijan, and closely watches its rapid economic development and large projects the country participates in.
Ranieri said both countries have huge potential to enhance trade relations.