Azerbaijan, Ukraine sign co-op papers during Yushchenko`s visit
Azerbaijan and Ukraine signed seven documents
focusing on cooperation in a variety of fields during Ukrainian
President Viktor Yushchenko`s visit to Baku last week.
The signing came in conclusion of the first joint Presidential Council meeting, held last Thursday, with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev and his counterpart.
The two leaders signed an action plan regarding Azerbaijani-Ukrainian cooperation in 2009-2010. The two countries also put agreed to a consultation plan for the same period on key issues of trade and economics, scientific and technology, cultural, bilateral and multilateral collaboration, as well as signing documents on foreign intelligence, space exploration and its use for peaceful purposes, along with military and technical interaction. Moreover, the city of Ganja and the administration of Ukraine`s Volinsk province signed an agreement on cooperation.
In their statements for the media after their talks, both presidents focused on energy issues.
President Aliyev said the leaders had discussed energy issues of importance, not only for the two countries but the entire region and Europe, including those concerning exports of Caspian hydrocarbons to world markets.
"We have repeatedly gathered for meetings on energy issues with the participation of both countries` officials. The last one -- the summit held in Baku last November - once again demonstrated that we are committed to broad cooperation in the energy sector," Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani president emphasized that the outcome of that summit and the declaration adopted there continues serving to guide all energy projects being implemented in the region.
Yushchenko, for his part, said the Eurasian Oil Transport Corridor (EAOTC) project, which envisions transporting Caspian oil to European countries, is in its final stages.
"We are stating today that dialog on the EAOTC, which started two years ago, is, essentially, in its final phase," he said.
Yushchenko noted that a feasibility study on pumping Caspian oil along the entire route would be signed in Poland on April 24. "We would like to highlight that this project, which faced a lot of hurdles, has its logical conclusion today and we are, undoubtedly, proud of that."
Pumping oil from the oil-rich Caspian basin through the Odessa-Brody-Plock-Gdansk project is an important component of the EAOTC project. The 674-km Odessa-Brody pipeline links the Ukrainian cities of Odessa, at the Black Sea, and Brody, near the Ukrainian-Polish border. Further, the pipeline is to be extended to the Polish towns of Plock and Gdansk. The EU-backed project will open a new market for Azerbaijani oil.
The Ukrainian leader said a particular emphasis was placed during the talks on issues of transporting Azerbaijan`s gas to European markets.
"Ukraine and Azerbaijan may display a common position on this issue. We have agreed to continue relevant consultations on the level of foreign ministries."
The signing came in conclusion of the first joint Presidential Council meeting, held last Thursday, with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev and his counterpart.
The two leaders signed an action plan regarding Azerbaijani-Ukrainian cooperation in 2009-2010. The two countries also put agreed to a consultation plan for the same period on key issues of trade and economics, scientific and technology, cultural, bilateral and multilateral collaboration, as well as signing documents on foreign intelligence, space exploration and its use for peaceful purposes, along with military and technical interaction. Moreover, the city of Ganja and the administration of Ukraine`s Volinsk province signed an agreement on cooperation.
In their statements for the media after their talks, both presidents focused on energy issues.
President Aliyev said the leaders had discussed energy issues of importance, not only for the two countries but the entire region and Europe, including those concerning exports of Caspian hydrocarbons to world markets.
"We have repeatedly gathered for meetings on energy issues with the participation of both countries` officials. The last one -- the summit held in Baku last November - once again demonstrated that we are committed to broad cooperation in the energy sector," Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani president emphasized that the outcome of that summit and the declaration adopted there continues serving to guide all energy projects being implemented in the region.
Yushchenko, for his part, said the Eurasian Oil Transport Corridor (EAOTC) project, which envisions transporting Caspian oil to European countries, is in its final stages.
"We are stating today that dialog on the EAOTC, which started two years ago, is, essentially, in its final phase," he said.
Yushchenko noted that a feasibility study on pumping Caspian oil along the entire route would be signed in Poland on April 24. "We would like to highlight that this project, which faced a lot of hurdles, has its logical conclusion today and we are, undoubtedly, proud of that."
Pumping oil from the oil-rich Caspian basin through the Odessa-Brody-Plock-Gdansk project is an important component of the EAOTC project. The 674-km Odessa-Brody pipeline links the Ukrainian cities of Odessa, at the Black Sea, and Brody, near the Ukrainian-Polish border. Further, the pipeline is to be extended to the Polish towns of Plock and Gdansk. The EU-backed project will open a new market for Azerbaijani oil.
The Ukrainian leader said a particular emphasis was placed during the talks on issues of transporting Azerbaijan`s gas to European markets.
"Ukraine and Azerbaijan may display a common position on this issue. We have agreed to continue relevant consultations on the level of foreign ministries."
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