Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Entrepreneurs from the Netherlands are interested in developing cooperation with Azerbaijan, Mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb said during Azerbaijani-Dutch Business Forum in Baku on November 21.

The event, organized by the Azerbaijan's Economy and Industry Ministry Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) brought together representatives of about 50 companies in industry, shipbuilding, consulting, logistics and other sectors of the two countries.

Speaking at the forum, Azerbaijan's Economic Development Ministry Administration Chief Samir Veliyev highlighted the successful development of relations between the two countries, as well as a great potential for their further strengthening.

The mayor of Rotterdam expressed his satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan and invited Azerbaijani businessmen to an active cooperation. He also noted that Azerbaijan and the Netherlands signed a number of documents relating to enhanced cooperation.

Aboutaleb also said that the Netherlands is interested in increasing imports of Azerbaijani oil. According to Aboutaleb, the port of Rotterdam currently receives 2 million tons of Azerbaijani oil, which is 2 percent of the total volume of supplies.

"As part of this visit to Azerbaijan, we also discussed the expansion of cooperation in the oil and gas industry," he said. "We held talks with Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR on November 20, and we believe that the supply of Azerbaijani oil to Rotterdam will be beneficial to Azerbaijan. It is too early to talk about specific arrangements, it is just the beginning of negotiations."

During the forum, presentations on business and investment opportunities in Azerbaijan and the Netherlands and bilateral meetings between the businessmen of the two countries were held.

According to Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands amounted to $149.71 million in the first eleven months of 2013. Some $143.75 million dollars out of this amount fall on imports. The export of Azerbaijani goods to the Netherlands amounted to $5.96 million dollars in this period.