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President of Azerbaijan: "Azerbaijani â€“ Iranian relationships has become important factor for development of the region"

17 November 2010 21:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. "Our political relationships are at high level. We carry on very strong political dialogue", APA reports. Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev said today for mass media in joint statement with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The President stressed that he regularly meets with the Iranian leader both during the mutual visits and within the international events. The president said that the development of political ties leads to development in all other areas, and bilateral relations should be developed in the future.

Head of state attaches a great importance to cooperation within international organizations. "We at all times cooperated very successfully and supported each other at the UN, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and Organization of Economic Cooperation" â€“ said Aliyev.

The President noted that the parties had exchanged the views for more intensive cooperation in the economic sphere: "The present level of trade turnover satisfies neither the Iranian side, nor us. We are confident that the available potential, which our countries have, will enable us to increase the trade turnover several times in the near future. We strive for this, and we have already given the appropriate instructions. I am confident that the implementation of the Memorandum of understanding on energy and transport that we signed today will significantly increase the trade turnover. The signed memorandum is multifaceted. It covers all the issues that are important, the specific projects. We provided for establishment of North-South Corridor in the transport sector and adoption of additional measures in this area, it reflects the issues of joint electric facilities. Memorandum of Understanding provides for the connection of electric lines, cooperation in gas sphere, that is, it listed all issues covering energy and transport sectors."

Touching upon the cooperation in the energy sector, the President stated that "discussion of new projects is in progress. I hope, the work that currently is done both in Iranian and Azerbaijani sides, made investments will ensure in the future further expansion of cooperation in the energy sphere."

The President noted that relations between two countries are developing in the upward direction: "We are neighbors, friends and brothers. We have an important role in this region. Today, the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been formed not only as relations between two countries, they are at the same time have a significant impact on the processes that occurring in the region. Iranian-Azerbaijani relations have become an important factor for development of the region. Our relations are of special importance for strengthening of security in the region. "