TODAY.AZ / Politics

Ambassador Kamil Khasiyev: Azerbaijan and Croatia work out more than 10 agreements in various spheres of cooperation

22 June 2011 [15:48] - TODAY.AZ
Interview with Azerbaijani Ambassador to Croatia Kamil Khasiyev.
Both Azerbaijan and Croatia are the new independent countries in the political map of Europe. What are common interests of both countries regarding the development of bilateral relations?

Croatia and Azerbaijan are younger countries in the world’s political map. This year both countries mark 20th anniversary of their independence. Balkan is the nearest European region to Azerbaijan. There are very close parallels regarding the territory, population and near past. Of course, such similarities create good opportunities for the development of political, economic, humanitarian and other relations. Azerbaijan’s priorities in its development strategy are independence and protection of territorial integrity, legal state-building, market economy, protection of human rights, administrative reforms. Croatia also has similar priorities. Croatia is one of the leading countries in Balkan for its economic achievements and it has good experience in the fields of telecommunication, pharmaceutical industry and engineering. Our country is interested in cooperation in these fields. Croatia shows interest to the development of relations in the fields of energy, agriculture and tourism. The Caucasian and Balkan peoples have similar mentality features and unique rich cultures. There is good potential for the extension of cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia. Azerbaijani embassy in Croatia specified all priority directions in above-mentioned spheres and determined relevant activity fields.

President Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit to Croatia in 2005. The will for the development political, economic and parliamentary relations between the two countries was expressed during the visit. What has been achieved since that period?

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Croatia gave strong impetus to the development of bilateral relations. A number of important documents, including politically very important communiqué, intergovernmental agreement on cultural cooperation and protocol on cooperation between the foreign ministries were signed.

Regarding the parliamentary relations, it should be noted hat the parliaments of both countries established friendship groups for the development of parliamentary relations. This cooperation appears in the parliamentary assemblies of the OSCE, NATO and Council of Europe, as well as other multilateral parliamentary forums. The two countries have a political dialogue in different levels, including the foreign ministries. The leadership of our country decided to open the embassy for the extension of relations in the region and our embassy is working now. Croatia also put forward such initiative and Croatian honorary consulate is expected to be opened in Azerbaijan soon. The activity toward establishing the legal basis for deepening the cooperation between the countries is intensified and I would like to underline some of the important documents signed as a result of this work. These documents are intergovernmental investment agreement, memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Development of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Economics, Labor and Ownership of Croatia, agreement between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan and Economic Chamber of Croatia. According to the intergovernmental agreement on cultural cooperation, a number of cultural events are expected to be organized soon.

Both countries work out more than 10 agreements in various spheres of cooperation, including visa facilitation, elimination of double tax, cooperation on de-mining activity and other important issues. We consider that these documents will be signed during the next high-level visits. Following the official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Croatia, then president of Croatia Stjepan Mesic paid an official visit to Azerbaijan in 2007. Azerbaijani-Croatian business forum was held during the visit. Azerbaijani-Croatian trade turnover reached $789,07 mln in 2010, including import volume of $1,9 mln and export - $787,17 mln. The foreign trade turnover with the Republic of Croatia quadrupled as against the outcomes of 2009. The countries have a potential to increase the trade turnover and we will work towards this.

In 2004 Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry asked Croatia to support inclusion of the issue on the situation in the occupied Azerbaijani territories into the agenda of the UN General Assembly. But the Croatian side preferred to abstain. What was the reason of that position? How well the Croatian political circles are informed about Karabakh conflict?

First of all, I would like to note that in the joint communiqué and declaration signed during the visits of the two presidents in 2005 and 2007 the two countries recognized sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the states’ borders as significant principles. During the meetings with the Croatian officials they say that in the wars after the collapse of former Yugoslavia in the first half of 1990 Croatia also faced to some extent similar conflict, separatism and occupation and therefore, they understand Azerbaijan’s position. As regards Croatia’s abstention in the voting at the UN General Assembly concerning the inclusion of the point on the situation in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, I consider that it can be explained by the decision of the European Union’s abstention (since 2003 Croatia has been a candidate country for the EU membership). We have to inform the Croatian public about the principles supported by Azerbaijan, ongoing processes in the region, and the Embassy will continue efforts to achieve more active and continuous support of Azerbaijan’s just position by Croatia.


/APA/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/88844.html

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