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UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan: â€œThe UK is by some way the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan at 51%â€

05 November 2010 14:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova â€“ APA. UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Carolyn Browne gives interview to APA

- What results did the UK Minister for Europe David Lidingtonâ€™s visit to Baku bring and is there any agreement about the new deals?

- David Lidingtonâ€™s visit to Azerbaijan â€“ the only country in the South Caucasus which he visited â€“ had three aims. Firstly, to understand better UK / Azerbaijan areas of cooperation, why they are important, and what we can do to increase cooperation in these areas further. Secondly, to support Azerbaijanâ€™s growing relationship with Europe â€“ such as the recent launch of negotiations on a future EU Association Agreement which would open up new markets and greater people-to-people contacts. And thirdly to explore opportunities for UK businesses operating in the non-oil and gas sector. Mr Lidington was accompanied by a business delegation. They had a number of individual meetings with potential Azerbaijani clients, and I understand that there are several specific projects now under active discussion.

- How many British companies are working in Azerbaijan now and what spheres besides the oil sector they have invested in?

- The UK is by some way the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan at 51%. Around 150 British businesses operate in Azerbaijan â€“ from FTSE100 firms of international fame to small and medium size enterprises with specialist capabilities. Most of the latter work in, or support, BPâ€™s supply chain. Priority sectors for UK Trade & Investment to develop further investment in and trade with Azerbaijan are oil and gas; financial services; construction, project management; design; education; and retail. There is growing interest from UK firms including those from the non-oil economic sectors in doing business in Azerbaijan. For example, we have another trade mission visiting later this month to promote vocational education. That will be the fourth trade mission so far this year â€“ and there are more in the pipeline. Success by British companies in the non oil and gas sectors so far include involvement in the Port Baku project and the Absheron Marriott hotel; in the White City development; and in the new International Airport project. In addition, there has been the appearance in Baku of familiar UK high street names such as Mothercare, Debenhams, Accessorize and Austin Reed. We hope that more will follow.

- Is the humanitarian cooperation expected to be developed?

- No - your country is now in the â€œmiddle income countryâ€ bracket. You have the resources yourself to tackle the humanitarian challenges you face. My Government will continue to support your authoritiesâ€™ efforts to decide how best to meet that challenge â€“ for example, by offering specialist advice or by putting your authorities in touch with private sector expertise. But my Governmentâ€™s humanitarian spending needs to be focused on much poorer countries.

- Did the student visa changes influence on the number of Azerbaijani students in UK?

- We donâ€™t think so â€“ but ask me again early next year, when we will have the full statistics for 2010 available. In 2009 the UK visa rules changed and the British Government introduced a â€œpoints-based systemâ€ (PBS) for student applicants. It is very important for applicants to read the relevant guidance we provide at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas. If applicants do not qualify for the points required on the basis of the information submitted we cannot issue a visa. In 2009, 350 visa applicants received PBS student visas to study in the UK. So far in 2010 we have issued visas to 295 PBS students. This is an increase on the same period last year. We have also issued 195 visas to those students following short courses in the UK.

- How many Azerbaijani students are studying in UK now and what universities they are studying?

- A growing number Azerbaijanis send their children to further their education in the UK and they can choose from over 100 world class universities. International and local organizations also sponsor their employees to further their studies through the wide range of courses offered by our universities and colleges. Furthermore, there is a growing number of young professionals choosing to further their education in the UK.
How many Azerbaijani students are in the UK right now? Iâ€™m afraid we canâ€™t come up with an exact figure for you in the time available. But, as you can see from the number of visas we have issued, the answer is in the thousands.

- Will your embassy observe the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan? Is the United Kingdom showing any technical assistance to these elections?

- We, together with others in the international community, are following the preparations for the elections on Sunday with interest. It was one of the subjects discussed by the UK Minister for Europe when he visited Baku earlier this month. And you will have seen that EU ambassadors in Baku recently issued a statement supporting the interim reports from the ODIHR/OSCE electoral monitoring mission. The UK has contributed two long-term observers and six short-term observers to the OSCE election monitoring mission. My Embassy has also contributed a further two short term observers to the ODIHR mission and we are organizing a further 12 volunteer observers from the international community here in Baku to help observe the electoral process on 7 November around the country, including in Naxchivan. Iâ€™m one of those 12 volunteer observers. Through the Embassy’s bilateral assistance programme we have also funded the training of 80 long-term and 400 short-term domestic (ie Azerbaijani) observers.
My Embassy has also provided support for a number of projects related to these elections, including on voter education about the election complaints system (thatâ€™s a project run by the â€˜â€™Law and Developmentâ€™â€™ Public Union) and training for short term domestic observers (thatâ€™s a project which was conducted for us by the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre). The latter project was designed by us to encourage the highest possible standards of impartial and accurate observation to be conducted during the electoral process. That was a point made to me by Central Election Commission Chairman Mr Panahov when I met him a few months ago. I share his emphasis on the need for observers to be professional, impartial, accurate and detailed. Thatâ€™s exactly what we want to achieve through these projects. For example, my colleagues from this Embassy were in Naxchivan last week to see the final training sessions being held. I also accompanied Ambassador Bilge Cankorel, the head of the OSCE Office as part of his missionâ€™s work organising information sessions for regional Executive Committee Chairmen entitled â€œillegal interference in the electoral processâ€™â€™.