POLITICS
VISIT OF FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN TO ITALY
As was informed to AzerTAj from the press center of the ministry, the purpose of visit to Veneto consisted in carrying out of meetings with business circles of region, giving information on economic opportunities of Azerbaijan and carrying out discussions in the field of attraction of the local companies to Azerbaijan.
At the city of Abano Terme, province of Padova, there started a conference on presentation of Azerbaijan. President of the province, heads of local law-enforcement bodies, Mayor of Abano city, rector of the Padova University, other officials attended the meeting held at the business center with participation of 100 companies. The Chamber of Commerce of Padova and the Azerbaijan-Italy Chamber of Commerce just functioning in Italy organized the event.
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in his remarks at the conference informed about important geo-politic and economic situation of Azerbaijan, its rich natural resources, the successes achieved at macroeconomic level, large power projects carried out in the country. Having noted, that development of non-oil sector is a priority question with a view of branching of economy in Azerbaijan, the Minister has stopped on the ample opportunities available in the field of agriculture, manufacture of chemical, textile-knitted wear, food production, in spheres of tourism, processing of leather, etc. He has emphasized wide experience of the small and medium companies of Italy in these spheres, has invited them to Azerbaijan. Then, the Minister has answered questions of participants of action.
Elmar Mammadyarov has met in Venice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Veneto region Ms. Marialuisa Coppola. At the meeting, discussed were the question of establishment of direct communications between Azerbaijan and Veneto, value of economic experience of Veneto.
At the meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Vatican Juseppe Loyano, on 7 October, were held discussions on prospects of development of links, opportunities of opening in Baku of diplomatic representatives of the State of Vatican, the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh problem, and also exchange of vies on the international questions, in particular, position in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The same day, Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov has met Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Franco Frattini. The sides have emphasized high level of relations between Azerbaijan and Italy in political, economic, humanitarian spheres, value of the further development of cooperation in the field of economy, in particular, in non-oil sector. Discussions also concerned meetings and actions, which will be carried out within the framework of the program of official visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Italy forthcoming in the first quarter 2005. At the meeting, the sides had exchange of views concerning peace settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict on the basis of norms and principles of international law, and also the general position on the Caucasus.
At the meeting with chairman of the commission of foreign relations of the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament of Italy Gustavo Selva and Chairman of the Italian Senate Marcello Pero, discussed were issues of present state of relations between two countries and inter-parliamentary ties, the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, global political problems.