02-09-2010 16:28:52

Russia’s Medvedev arrives in Baku (UPDATED)

BAKU - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Baku for an official two-day visit on Thursday.

Medvedev visited the grave of Azerbaijan’s late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev and the Alley of Martyrs where war victims were laid to rest.

Then the Russian president attended a formal dinner given on behalf of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

In his address at the reception, President Aliyev said reciprocal visits by the Azerbaijani and Russian leaders contribute to developing the bilateral relations.

“Every visit marks a new page in our relations,” he added.

The Azerbaijani leader said his country enjoys fruitful political and economic cooperation with Russia.

“The documents we will sign during this visit will play an important role in development of our relations.”

The President praised the bilateral trade, saying it increased despite last year marked the global economic crisis.

On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Aliyev spoke of Russia’s role in the problem’s solution.

President Dmitry Medvedev called Azerbaijan Russia’s strategic partner. He said the documents to be signed during his visit would strengthen “our friendly relations, and, at the same time, contribute to strengthening the bilateral legal basis”.

The Russian leader praised “strong economic cooperation” with Azerbaijan.

On the Karabakh conflict, Medvedev said Russia will continue its “active role in the settlement of the problem”.

He praised the humanitarian and cultural cooperation between the two countries. Medvedev hailed Azerbaijan’s respecting the Russian language and culture, saying “we have the same attitude towards the big Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia”.

The Azerbaijan-Russian economic and trade cooperation, as well as interaction in the Caspian Sea will be high on agenda during Medvedev’s visit, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said Wednesday.

The Russian president is accompanied by Prikhodko, Deputy Prime Minister and President’s representative to the North Caucasus Alexander Khloponin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko, Russian businessmen, Russian gas monopoly Gazprom’s CEO Alexei Miller, as well as the governors of a number of Russian regions, including Dagestan and Ingushetia.

The Russian presidential aide said that a border treaty and an intergovernmental agreement on rational use and protection of water resources of the Samur River, which borders the two countries, are due to be signed during the visit.

Prikhodko added that the border treaty would specify the state borders of Russia and Azerbaijan, adding that Azerbaijan signs the first such agreement with Russia.

Concerning the intergovernmental agreement, Prikhodko said the document stipulates establishing a Russian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission, which will regulate the use of the resources of the Samur River on equal terms.

“These documents will be a basis for further development of the strategic partnership between the two countries and will contribute to the security and stability in the Caucasus.”

According to Prikhodko, economic and trade cooperation would also top the agenda of the talks in Baku.

The Russian-Azerbaijan trade turnover made up $1.78bn last year.

Prikhodko said cooperation in the Caspian Sea, joint exploration of natural resources, environmental protection, interaction between the borderline regions of the two countries, as well as oil and gas cooperation and mutual industrial investment would be discussed.

The Azerbaijani and Russian leaders plan to mull the peaceful settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Karabakh and international cooperation in the Caspian region as well.

Medvedev also intends to visit the Baku State University, where he will be awarded the diploma of honorary doctor.

Gas deal
The Azerbaijani state energy firm SOCAR and Russia’s Gazprom are expected to sign a supplementary agreement to the contract on increasing Azerbaijan’s natural gas supplies during 2011-2012.

According to Gazprom CEO Miller, the company is keen on “buying the natural gas proposed by Azerbaijan in full volume”.

Azerbaijan started gas deliveries to its northern neighbor in January 2010. Last October, SOCAR and Gazprom signed an agreement on the sale of Azerbaijani gas, with an option of increasing the volume of supplies in 2010-2015.

Gazprom initially planned to buy 0.5bn cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan. Later, the two countries agreed to increase the volume. Thus, Azerbaijani gas exports to Russia will make up 1bn cubic meters this year and will reach 2bn cubic meters in 2011.

TAGS: Azerbaijan, Baku, Dmitry Medvedev, Azerbaijan-Russian economic, trade cooperation, Caspian Sea, Sergei Prikhodko, North Caucasus, Alexander Khloponin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko, Russian business representatives, Gazprom Chairman Alexey Miller, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Samur river, Nagorno Karabakh, Heydar Aliyev s grave, Martyrs Alley, Ilham Aliyev, visit, Baku State University, SOCAR, Gazprom