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Ambassador of Norway to Azerbaijan and Georgia: â€œThe insight I gained about this region will be valuable to meâ€ - INTERVIEW

Ambassador of Norway to Azerbaijan and Georgia: â€œThe insight I gained about this region will be valuable to meâ€ - <font color=red> INTERVIEW</font>

13 July 2010 13:14 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementieva â€“ APA. APA interviews with outgoing Ambassador of Norway in Azerbaijan and Georgia Mr. Jon Romberg

- What kind of changes took place in bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Norway during the time you have been the Ambassador?

- I think we have reached a new level in relations, beginning with the Joint Declaration of our foreign ministers in December 2007 and in particularly in culture and academic relations. I have worked like a beaver to assist this process, but could have done nothing without the cooperation of Azerbaijani and Norwegian partners.

- What new did you learn about Azerbaijan and its people and culture here?

- Too big a question for an interview. I have gained new insights every day during three and a half years, I am still learning and have a lot more to learn. But through it all I have aquired great respect for your history, culture and traditions.

- Are you going to use the experience you got here on your new position? Have you already get a new appointment?

- I do not yet know my next assignment. Whatever it will be, the insight I gained about this region will be valuable professionally, and maybe more imortant in the long run to me personally.

- How do you estimate the bilateral relations between our countries? What about cooperation in energy sphere?

Statoilâ€™s activities and investments in Azerbaijan â€“ some 5 billion USD in Azerbaijan and the pipelines â€“ are the bedrock of our relations. Such huge involvement should not stand alone, but be supplemented and buttressed by broadening and deepening other economic ties, political ties, academic and cultural exchange. And this is happening.

Also in the energy sphere there is a room for broader involvement. The further development of the ACG oil and the Shah Deniz gas fields means that Statoilâ€™s activities will increase. There is also Norwegian involvement in development of small hydro power projects. And I was very pleased to hear from President Aliyev in our farewell meeting Monday this week that he would welcome broader Norwegian involvement in renewable energy in Azerbaijan. Here is a challenge for my successor.

- What about the educational exchange programs and cooperation between universities?

- This is an area where the embassy has a broad involvement. I can hardly think of a more important task than stimulating educational development and exchange, and I have devoted a considerable part of my time in Azerbaijan to this purpose. The development of regional Scandinavian studies at the Azerbaijan Diller University is the most ambitious of these. The first seven Azerbaijani students completed their Bachelorsâ€™ degrees this spring, and three of them will be pursuing further studies in Norway. But several other universities, like Khazar University and the Ganja Agricultural University, are also engaged in cooperation with Norwegian partners, and quite a few Azerbaijani students are getting academic training in Norway on Norwegian scholarships. I hope that in the future they can do that also on Azerbaijani funding. I also look forward to the day when we have real exchange of students, when Norwegian students come here to learn and study at Azerbaijani universities. That day should not be far ahead.

- Are the Norway companies planning to increase the investments in Azerbaijan?

- The planned extensions at the petroleum fields mentioned above means that Statoilâ€™s investments will increase considerably. Outside the petroleum sector the investmernt climate has so far not attracted Norwegian investments. Azerbaijani membership of the World Trade Organisation would certainly increase its attractiveness for foreign investment.

- How many Norway companies are now in Azerbaijan?

- Prominent Norwegian companies apart from Statoil are Wenaas, which is producing clothing and security equipment for the petroleum sector in a very competitive environment, Aker Solutions in drilling and well technology in the same sector and AkvamiljÃ¸ Caspian in environmental supervising of the Caspian Sea and the Sangachal Terminal.

-Who will be appointed on a position of Norway Ambassador in Azerbaijan and Georgia? Could you please, give more information on him?

- My successor will be Ambassador Erling SkjÃ¸nsberg, whose last posting abroad was as Deputy Head of Mission to our Delegation to the Organisation of Security and Cooperation, OSCE, in Vienna, an important organisation for both our countries. Mr. SkjÃ¸nsberg is coming here with great expectations and buckets of motivation to do his very best to further develop the relationship between Norway and Azerbaijan.