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By Trend

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received a delegation led by Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion of the United Kingdom, co-chair of Joint Intergovernmental Commission (JIC) Baroness Rona Fairhead.

The sides hailed the successfully developing bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the UK in a number of areas, including in political, economic, and energy ones, underlining good potential for further expansion of bilateral cooperation.

President Aliyev pointed to the good history of the Azerbaijan-UK economic relations, saying that the UK is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan. He noted the importance of the fact that BP is the key partner in Azerbaijan's global energy projects.

Praising the great works that are underway to diversify the economy in Azerbaijan, the head of state underlined the country's keenness to expand the UK companies' involvement in the non-energy sector as both investors and contractors in the years to come.

The President expressed his confidence that Baroness Rona Fairhead's visit to Azerbaijan will contribute to further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Baroness Rona Fairhead, in turn, hailed Azerbaijan's achievements during the years of independence.

Pointing to the energy cooperation, Fairhead described the BP-Azerbaijan relations as a very important partnership, and emphasized that the British government will remain committed to continuing cooperation in this area.

She noted that the British government attaches great importance to bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, once again describing the country as an important strategic partner for the UK.

Touching upon the prospects for energy cooperation, they emphasized the successful implementation of the Shah Deniz-2 project and the extension of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli agreement.

They also exchanged views on the issues relating to the British companies' involvement in the field of infrastructure, as well as the expansion of ties in trade, mutual investment, alternative energy, agriculture, tourism and education fields.

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