Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan and Ukraine should strengthen relations in the private sector - between entrepreneurs, companies, the first Ukrainian President, Leonid Kravchuk, told Trend news agency.

"Azerbaijan and Ukraine still have great opportunities for the development of relations. Azerbaijan is an energy exporting country, and Ukraine needs energy. It is necessary to develop bilateral relations not only at the high level but at the level of business community as well," Kravchuk said.

According to him, political relations between the two countries are at a high level.

"We would like to expand trade ties, cooperation in the field of recycling. Ukraine is capable of providing Azerbaijan with engineering products, agricultural machinery. On this basis, an improvement of trade and economic relations is possible," the ex-president said.

According to him, in order to achieve the goals set, Ukraine and Azerbaijan need to stimulate trade, exchange of experiences and cultural achievements.

"From this perspective quite an essential role is given to Diaspora, which possesses extraordinary potential. For example, the Congress of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis has been active in this regard; chairman of the organization Rovshan Tagiyev has organized numerous activities aimed at rapprochement between the two nations," Kravchuk said.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the total volume of trade between Ukraine and Azerbaijan in January-September 2012 reached 446.86 million, with 381.36 million share of imports. Compared to the same period in 2011, the trade turnover dropped 2.8 times.