Azerbaijan-Israel relations based on historical friendship ties: envoy
By Sara Rajabova
The Azerbaijani Embassy in the U.S. hosted a meeting with representatives of ACCESS, the youth wing of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
Delivering a speech at the event, Azerbaijani ambassador Elin Suleymanov said that the Azerbaijan-Israel relations were based on the historical friendship ties and stressed that Azerbaijan was a symbol of tolerance in the global arena.
Suleymanov said the country`s leadership pays special attention to promotion of ethnic and religious diversity. The Jewish community of Azerbaijan throughout history took an active part in the life of the society.
Referring to friendly relations between Azerbaijan and the American Jewish Committee, he recalled that the organization's executive director David Harris was awarded with "Dostlug" (Friendship) order upon the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
ACCESS group members, in turn, expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijan government for the efforts to combat terrorism and radicalism. They also noted the importance of informing the U.S. public about Azerbaijan as an exemplary space of intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
Israel recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992.
In 2012, the trade turnover between the two countries was $4 billion.
Azerbaijan plans to sign an agreement with Israel on canceling double taxation and cooperation in the agriculture sector, and an agreement on simplification of the visa regime for persons with diplomatic and service passports.
According to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, about 42,000 Jews live in the South Caucasus republic.