Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan and Russia explored ways of boosting their economic, trade, humanitarian aid, cultural and transport cooperation at a joint forum held in Baku on Thursday.
The event, entitled "On the road to strengthening strategic partnership by expanding cooperation among regions," was attended by officials from Russian regions, businessmen as well as civil society representatives.
Ali Hasanov, the head of the Azerbaijan Presidential Administration socio-political department, said the two countries faced misunderstandings in the past on a number of trans-national projects, but the differences were removed afterwards. "Currently, there is conducive environment for expanding relations between Azerbaijan and Russia."
Speakers pointed out that the Azerbaijani-Russian trade turnover has reached $2 billion this year. Azerbaijan has signed economic agreements with 70 regions and 37 subjects of the Russian Federation, with 11 more subjects to join in soon.
Valeri Tursumov, the head of the Russian delegation, said while referring to bilateral oil and gas cooperation that Lukoil alone invested over $1.5 billion in Azerbaijan over fifteen years.
Vladimir Dorokhin, the Russian Ambassador in Baku, pointed to the high-level confidence in Russia-Azerbaijan relations.
"Moscow is convinced that Baku will not take any steps contradicting Russian interests. In Baku, there is similar confidence toward Russia. There is no topic whose discussion between the two countries is disallowed," Dorokhin said.
In conclusion of the forum, a joint statement on broadening cooperation in all fields was adopted.*