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Colombia is interested in strengthening relations with Azerbaijan, Colombian Deputy FM

14 October 2011 23:03 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementeva-APA. An agreement on cooperation was signed between Azerbaijan and Colombiaâ€™s Diplomatic Academies during the visit of the Colombian delegation to Azerbaijan. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Colombia, Patti LondoÃ±o Jaramillo told APA. According to Deputy FM the agreement will provide exchange of students in future. As, students from Azerbaijan will be able to get education at the Diplomatic Academy and other universities in Colombia.

According to Deputy Foreign minister of Colombia, his visit to Azerbaijan was very successful and the sides discussed bilateral relations, trade, business opportunities and energy cooperation between the countries.

Patti LondoÃ±o Jaramillo said that their delegation is the first Colombian delegation visiting Azerbaijan in high level. "We are very proud of it. And we want to strengthen relations with Azerbaijan". According to her, in the near future the Colombian ministers of Agriculture, Energy will visit Azerbaijan.

In the next year Foreign Affairs minister of Colombia is expected to pay a visit to Azerbaijan. And Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyaorov in his turn has got invitation to pay a visit to Colombia.

Commenting on the possibility of opening a diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan, Colombian Deputy FM noted that Colombia intends to expand its presence in our country: "We plan to open more business, trade missions, and we work on this issue together with other Latin American countries."

LondoÃ±o Jaramillo Patty told about a joint pilot project by Chile and Colombia to establish an office in Istanbul in order to promote trade, investment, establishment of export and import.

Touching the plans in cultural sphere, the Deputy FM noted that in September, 2012, â€œDays of Azerbaijani Cultureâ€ will be held in Colombia. â€œWithin frame of this event, Azerbaijani culture festivals- movies, concert programs will be held in a number of cities of Colombia," said P. LondoÃ±o-Jaramillo.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Colombia Maria Garcia Konstanza Botero, included in delegation visited Azerbaijan, said that countries would sign an agreement on cooperation and investment opportunities for infrastructure development of Colombia - the construction of ports, airports, roads and highways.
"We hope that such an agreement could be signed later this year.", said M. Garcia Botero. - "We are interested in development of infrastructural cooperation with Azerbaijan. We are interested in the experience of Azerbaijan in this field. Particularly, an expansion of railways. "

Colombian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Gabriel Andre Duque Mildenberg expressed importance to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in various economic areas, establishment of contacts between representatives of business community in Azerbaijan and Colombia. "Because of the large distances separating our countries, there is a lack of information. But our country look like they have much in common - both of them are oil-exporting countries, and despite the fact that they are in different parts of the world, they take an important geo-strategic positions, "said Gabriel, Andre Duque Mildenberg.

He noted that up to date, bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Colombia was very small. Mostly, flowers were exported from Colombia to Azerbaijan. "We export to Azerbaijan rose. Colombia is the second largest exporter of flowers in the world, " However, GA Mildenberg Duque noted that the figures of exports of roses are small - about 100-200 thousand dollars a year. "But this field has great potential," said Deputy Minister.
According to him total trade turnover between the countries around half a million dollars a year. "We hope to increase it in the future. The possibility of trade between our countries are large, "- said the deputy minister. He also noted that Colombia is one of the leaders in export of coffee, flowers, fruits (bananas), etc.