Azerbaijan, Romania to expand ties
By Nazrin Gadimova
Azerbaijan and Romania have decided to expand ties in coming years.
Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov and his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu have signed an agreement to expand bilateral and international relations on various issues for the period of 2014-2015.
The agreement came after political consultations between two sides in Baku on March 17. The sides describe the current state of bilateral relations as strategic.
Khalafov noted that the high level of political dialogue between the two countries provides them with opportunities for cooperation in all fields, including economy, agriculture, industry, defense industry, tourism, culture and education. He also emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary relations in expanding the bilateral bonds, as well as Azerbaijan's important role in the energy security of Europe.
Aurescu, in turn, noted the availability of opportunities for the development of relations in all spheres. He went on emphasizing the importance of mutual visits in this regard, noting the favorable political conditions for the further development in the sphere of trade and economic cooperation.
Speaking about Azerbaijan's relations with neighboring countries, Khalafov described them as good, saying the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is "the only obstacle" to stability and sustainable development of the region.
Azerbaijan's deputy foreign minister informed his Romanian counterpart about the conflict, as well as Armenian aggressive policy, noting that as a result of its aggressive policy, Armenia remains isolated from all large-scale energy and transport projects in the region. Khalafov said Armenia used the uncontrolled aтd occupied lands of Azerbaijan as a training center for international terrorism organizations, as well as the territory of the illegal arms trade, drug and human trafficking.
He added that the main condition for the settlement of the conflict is Armenian armed forces' withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.
Aurescu, in turn, said Romania had always supported Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
The two officials also discussed international and regional issues.
Romania was the second country that recognized Azerbaijan's independence in 1991. Several bilateral high-level meetings have been held in recent years, and the visits of two countries' leaders have boosted bilateral relations.
Azerbaijani-Romanian relations reached the level of Strategic Partnership in 2009 with a number of contracts signed in energy sector.