On the eve of the Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit to Azerbaijan in September, the correspondent of AzerTAj interviewed ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Baku, Mr. Steiner Gil, who in particular, gave a high assessment to the current state of relations between the two countries.

‘We have established regular political relations’, the Ambassador stressed.

‘It has to be reminded that after the visit of President Heydar Aliyev in 1996 to Norway, in 2000, foreign minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Vilayat Guliyev, a year later Prime Minister Artur Rasizade paid visits to our Country. And Prime Minister of Norway Mr. Kiel Magne is expected to visit Azerbaijan in September this year. Currently we are preparing the activities related to this visit’.

Touching upon the economic links between the two countries, the Ambassador said that Norway is one of the biggest investors in the oil and gas sector of Azerbaijan. The ‘Statiol’ Oil Company has been cooperating over a decade in the Country. There are great prospects in our cooperation and this Company holds s the second place after BP. Four Norwegian companies are engaged in equipment delivery. The Norwegian ‘Kverner’ Company is to come back to Azerbaijan.

Norway is conducting talks with the ministry of economic development, other relevant structures to establish cooperation in the non-oil sector, too, Mr. Gil underlined. Azerbaijan has great potential in the field of agriculture. We are keen in the field of wood, fishing, and tourism.

We implement micro-credit programs for the refugees and IDPs of Azerbaijan. It will stimulate small and medium business in the Country. There is a project on wood protection we are mulling over jointly with the ministry of ecology and natural resources in the area between Guba and Gusar regions. Increase of meat productions is also in our focus.

Trade ties of the two countries were not developed as we wish. Azerbaijan has various agricultural goods for larger world markets, the Ambassador emphasized.

There is a success in cooperation in the field of culture. One, the great Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl has visited Azerbaijan and established native links between our peoples. The theory should be studied for further researches. Anyhow, bilateral relations should be developed in many fields, Mr. Steiner Gil stressed.