Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani and Polish Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Lech Kaczynski discussed prospects for boosting bilateral relations and cooperation within the regional group GUAM in Warsaw on Tuesday.
Energy issues were high on the agenda during the meeting that took place on the first day of President Aliyev's visit to the Eastern European country.
In a joint declaration signed in conclusion of discussions, Warsaw stated support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. The Polish government also said it backed further expanding its cooperation with the South Caucasus republic. Azerbaijan, in turn, said it was interested in broadening collaboration with Poland as part of its efforts to integrate into the European family.
Azerbaijan and Poland signed several bilateral documents in conclusion of the talks between the two countries' governmental delegations.
The Azerbaijani leader was conferred with Poland's highest Grand Cross of Order of Merit award. The award, handed to Aliyev by President Kaczynski, marked his contribution to the development of relations between the two countries.
On Wednesday, the head of state and the accompanying delegation are due to visit the port city of Gdansk, the Polish embassy in Baku said. During the visit, President Aliyev will tour a refinery of Poland's second largest oil firm Lotos that will receive Azerbaijan's oil in the future.
The facility has the annual capacity of 6 million tons. It currently refines Russian oil pumped through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline.
After the Odessa-Brody-Gdansk conduit that originates in Ukraine is commissioned by 2010, the refinery will begin to receive Caspian crude for further exports to world markets. An upgrade is under way at the facility to boost its capacity to 10 million tons.