Baku, Dushanbe call for restoring direct flight
By Sara Rajabova
The developing relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan were praised during meetings of two sides' officials.
Azerbaijani Ambassador to Tajikistan Abbasali Hasanov met with Tajik Foreign Minister Sirodjidin Aslov in Dushanbe on August 26, the embassy told Trend news agency.
Aslov recalled with satisfaction his official visit to Azerbaijan on April 2-3 and his meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Minister of Economy and Industry Shahin Mustafayev.
During the meetings, the sides exchanged views on issues like non-ferrous metallurgy, agricultural industry, power engineering, transport and communications, oil and its processing, hydro-power engineering, and other issues of mutual interest.
The need of restoring a direct Dushanbe-Baku flight was also stressed during the meetings. The sides noted that lack of such a flight prevents the growing bilateral relations.
The two sides also stressed the importance of drawing Azerbaijani investment in Tajik economy, Tajikistan's joining the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway through the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway.
Moreover, they discussed holding an exhibition of Azerbaijani industrial goods, a business forum with participation of Azerbaijani and Tajik businessmen, the third session of the intergovernmental commission on trade-economic, scientific and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan.
The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 29, 1992. The Azerbaijani Embassy to Tajikistan was opened in 2007. The Embassy of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan was opened in 2008.
Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan increased by 2.5 times to $60 million in 2012.