Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are deep rooted in history, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade said on February 20.

In a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Plamen Oresharski, Rasizade said there was considerable unused potential between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.

He also noted Azerbaijan is implementing large-scale projects both in regional and global levels. He added Azerbaijan also attaches great importance to development of its non-oil sector.

Rasizade went on note that the two countries could find point of contacts in industrial, tourism, and humanitarian fields.

The PM said Azerbaijan has to pay special attention to increasing its defense abilities because Armenia has occupied about 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories, as a result of which more than 1 million people have become refugees and IDPs.

Rasizade noted Armenia carried out a policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijani people, and committed the Khojaly genocide, massacring hundreds of defenseless people, including women, children and the elderly.

He expressed confidence that Oresharski's visit to Azerbaijan would give impetus to overall development of the bilateral bonds.

The Bulgarian PM, in turn, hailed Azerbaijan's economic achievements in recent years.

Oresharski said Bulgaria attached special importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of energy, adding there are ample opportunities for Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR's making investment in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian PM also pointed to cooperation opportunities in the fields of education, culture, tourism, agriculture and defense industry.

They also exchanged views over the opening of a direct flight between Baku and Sofia, as well as the organization of a Bulgaria-Azerbaijan business forum.

The meeting was followed by signing of three bilateral documents between the two countries, in particular, a memorandum of understanding between the Baku State University and the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, a cooperation agreement between Azerbaijani and Bulgarian Finance Ministries, as well as an agreement on cooperation between the governments of the two countries in the sphere of protection of environment.

Also, Oresharski met with Azerbaijani Parliamentary Speaker Ogtay Asadov.

During the meeting Asadov said Azerbaijan pays special attention to the development of bilateral relations with Bulgaria. He noted legal base of the two countries includes 40 documents, and some 13 documents are developed for signing. The speaker also said there is huge potential for the development of economic relations and increasing the trade turnover between the two countries.

The Bulgarian PM, in turn, noted the high level of relations in all fields between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria. He said the relations in the energy field are rapidly developing as well.

As part of the trip the Bulgarian PM, who started an official visit to Azerbaijan on February 19, visited the Heydar Aliyev Center and the Baku Slavic University.