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AzerNEWS and Zaman Azerbaycan newspapers are launching the publication of a series of interviews with diplomats based in Azerbaijan. We are now presenting an interview with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Azerbaijan Mario Giorgio Stefano Baldi.

Q. How can you describe the current relations between the two countries?

A. The relations between our countries are very good. This might sound as a stereotype, because all ambassadors say they are happy, that relations between their country and Azerbaijan are extraordinary. But I think that I am honest to say that relations between Italy and Azerbaijan are very good. Primarily because if you look at the figures, you can see that Italy is the first trading partner of Azerbaijan.

Secondly, this is so because there is sympathy and understanding between the Azeri and Italian people. Despite different history, despite distance, and despite our different experience. We are in the West, we were under the influence of the Cold War and you were under the Soviet Union. Despite these differences we are like each other, we are not so different. Relations between the two countries are not only between our governments, but also people and businessmen of course. If you look at relations from this prospective you will realize that in all these fields bilateral relations are excellent.

Q. Could you give us some information about the history of the Italian embassy?

A. The Embassy of Italy in Azerbaijan was opened in 1997. Four ambassadors have served in Baku since then, including myself. I have been here for about a year and a half.

There is also an embassy of Azerbaijan in Rome which was opened in 2000. And it is nice to say that the first ambassador of Azerbaijan in Rome was Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov.

Q. What is your country’s view on Azerbaijan’s relations with its neighbors?

A. In Italy and elsewhere, we say that you can choose friends but you can’t choose your neighbors. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan is not very lucky in terms of its neighbors.

This is a very difficult part of the world. Not only because of the war with Armenia, but also because of the situation in Iran. The situation in the southern parts of Russia is also problematic. The situation in Georgia where a war was fought three years ago is not so stable either, which makes Azerbaijan’s role more important. Because Azerbaijan is an area of stability politically and economically.

I know that Azerbaijan’s relations with Russia, Georgia and Iran are good. I hope that this stability which is moving very fast will have a positive effect on all neighboring countries.

Q. What is the Italian view on the Karabakh conflict?

A. The Italian view coincides with your view. You know that the European Union has a clear position. We are on the side of the international law. There are four resolutions of the UN Security Council [on an unconditional pullout of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories]. There is also a number of decisions approved by the Council of Europe, Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the OSCE.

I have visited refugee camps. I know how people live and it isn’t easy to stay out of your own land for almost twenty years. I very much hope that this status will change because this is not acceptable to the people and government of Azerbaijan.

Q. What about the trade turnover between Italy and Azerbaijan?

A. Italy is Azerbaijan’s top trading partner. Bilateral trade is around 4 billion euros. Almost the entire amount is made up by energy products, especially oil. 44 percent of oil pumped by Azerbaijan to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline goes to Italy. Azerbaijan is the third supplier of oil to Italy, after Russia and Libya.

There is a lot of business between our countries. Our goal is to balance to this trade turnover.

We would like to export more Italian products to Azerbaijan. Italian goods worth around 200 million euros are delivered to Azerbaijan every year. Especially clothes, furniture, accessories, machinery, shoes and some other goods.

Delivery of Italian goods to Azerbaijan is in part up to the government, because these products are more expensive than others. For example, Italian ceramics is very popular, but it is more expensive than that made in Russia or Turkey.

Italian products are synonymous with quality. High prices, high quality.

Q. Is there a student exchange program between the two countries?

A. We try to encourage more and more students from Azerbaijan to study in Italy.

Yes, we have a scholarship program. Every year we provide 30 to 40 scholarships to students who want to improve Italian or study at, for example, an academy, art schools, music schools. You know, Italy is a country of design and music. We also give very good scholarships to artists.

What we do in this field is never enough. There are hundreds of Azerbaijani students who would like to study in Italy …We do not send to Italy students who want to know Italian. They should study the language here. For example, at the University of Languages, at Western University, or privately.

There is still a lot to do though. Because this is a young country. Not only because it was created 20 years ago but also because its population is young. And I think the future of relations between Italy and Azerbaijan depends on this generation. So we hope we can do more in this field.

Q. What can be done to increase tourist exchanges between our countries?

A. First of all, I think tourism and visas are enemies. There should be no visas between Italy and Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, this is not up to us, it is up to the European Union. But I am sure that in the future this will change. It will take 20 years or more, but there will be free movement between our countries. Because this is the tendency.

I can say that Italy is doing what it can to facilitate this matter. Because the development of civil society, student exchanges and trade enriches relations between the two countries.

Tourism can also be expanded by increasing infrastructure. Azerbaijan has a good potential. They are building a lot of hotels. The country is nice. I think there is a good potential that can be explored, though it will take some time.

I think the government is doing a lot. It is also building museums like the Carpet Museum, which will attract tourists.

I have visited most places in Azerbaijan. There are areas besides Baku which are interesting, Baku is not the only place in Azerbaijan. There are so many nice places in the country.

Q. What can you say about your citizens living, studying and working in Azerbaijan?

A. For me and for my compatriots living in Azerbaijan it is a pleasant experience. We are proud of course to be here. Sometimes we do miss our county but all Italians working in the embassy, family members, or business people say they stay here with pleasure. They do not feel as strangers in Azerbaijan. They appreciate this way of living, because they find that there are a lot of similarities between our way of living and yours. For example, Italians attach a lot of importance to their family, as Azerbaijanis do. Italians give a lot of importance to their private life, not only work.

We are hospitable people like Azerbaijanis. We tend to be a bit exaggerated or emotional in our expressions as well. Even the way of living at home is the same. Like living in big families.

I think every Italian who comes to Baku immediately understands that there is something in this country which reminds him of some parts of Italy. And every Azerbaijani visiting Italian towns, especially in the south, comes back with the idea that the country that they visited is not the same but it is at least different from other European countries.

Q. Baku is one of the biggest and most developed cities of the region. What are your impressions about Baku?

A. Generally speaking, I am amazed at how fast Baku is developing. Though I have been here for just one and a half years, I have seen so many new things here. There are just a few places which are growing so fast, may be in China or the United Arab Emirates.

I am confident that Baku and the whole of Azerbaijan will find a way to modernity without forgetting the past.

Q. Have you been to other regions of Azerbaijan?

A. I have been to almost every place in Azerbaijan.

I have been to Shaki, Zagatala, Astara, Ismailli, Mingachevir, Ganja, and Nakhchivan. Next week I will go to Lahij [a mountainous settlement in the Ismailli region]. I like to visit the countryside with my family and to see something different. I will continue to travel. I like to enjoy some rest outside Baku when I have time with my family, my wife and daughters.

Q. How will the development of information technologies affect the ambassador’s duty?

A. I was born in 1965. When I studied at the university, computers were not around. We only used floppy disks.

An ambassador who is 46 and is not so old has to use these new technologies. We have a website. We receive applications for visas and scholarships electronically.

I am not obsessed with the Internet…There are people who do not even know how to live without their cellular phones. But I am sure that you can live without it. I had my first mobile phone in 1994 when I was 29 years old. I was in Germany then. I had lived without a mobile phone for 29 years. And I am sure that life was normal.

Everybody including ambassador has know modern technology, has to make use of it. But I am convinced that the best technology is your own intelligence, your own curiosity, your own willing to improve, because no machine can replace the brain of a person.

Q. Do you like music? What can you say about Azeri music?

A. What attracts people to Azerbaijan is not only the beauty of the country but also the opportunity to hear the unique Mugham [folk] music.

Azerbaijan’s culture is similar to that of its neighbors but is not the same. It has something from Iran, but is not like in Iran. It has something from Georgia but is not like in Georgia. Something from Daghestan but is not Daghestani. I think potential tourists who are interested to come to Azerbaijan, those who come here want to see mosques, they want to go to Gobustan, want to visit Shaki. It is very intelligent by the government to protect the heritage of the past. Azerbaijan was a part of the ancient Silk Road. When the people like Marco Polo who was Italian discovered the route to China they also found a way to this part of the world.

Q. Do you like sports?

A. Of course. I like football especially. I like to swim too. I also like to watch sports on television. My favorite team is not known to many. My favorite team in Serie A is Milan, because it has the same colors as my favorite team.

Q. When you retire, what are your dreams that you are going to realize?

A. Above all, I would like to be healthy. The normal dreams that people have. Ambassadors have dreams like other persons. Normal dreams, such as your children succeeding in their life, for instance.

Biography
Ambassador Mario Giorgio Stefano Baldi was born in Foggia on February 28, 1965. In 1989 Mr. Baldi graduated in Law from the Catholic University in Milan. He joined the Foreign Service in May 1991. From May-December 1991 he underwent vocational training at the Diplomatic Institute. From December 5, 1991, he served at the Directorate General for Development.

Mr. Baldi acted as Consul in Dortmund, Germany from 1994 to 1998 and as Deputy Head of the Italian Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea from 1998 to 2001. From 2001-2005 he returned to the MFA where he served at the Directorate General for Multilateral Political Affairs and Human Rights as UN Desk Officer. From 2005 to 2009, he headed the Political Section at the Italian Embassy in Moscow. From September 21, 2009, he has served as Ambassador of Italy in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Mr. Baldi has been honored with the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic.