Talat Aliyev: "I am confident that the future of Azerbaijani diaspora of Ukraine, as a pioneer of our diaspora movement is quite perspective"

- What do you think about the current level of trade and economic relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine and which measures are taken for their further development?

- If in this sense we compare this year with the previous one, we should stress a good growth. If we compare the first half of 2008 with the same indicator of the last year, the growth made 30%. We expect the volume of trade and economic ties between our countries to reach about $1 bln by the end of the year. This is a good indicator, which proves great potential capacities of Azerbaijan and Ukraine both of industrial and producing as well as scientific nature, which must be fully used in our relations. Conduction of regular contacts, high level meetings, exchange of visits between the presidents promoted the expansion of our ties in all spheres, including trade and economic.

Thus, I view the prospects of further development of relations as good.

- You have mentioned that an active contact has been established between our countries on the high level, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Ukraine met several times this year. Are the plans of the presidents for the next year known?

- You know, this year our president paid an official visit to Ukraine. This was a successful visit. This year Yushchenko also paid a working visit to Baku, during which he opened memorial of Taras Shevchenko and Days of Ukrainian culture in Azerbaijan.

I think next year the mutual visits of the leaders will take place. The thing is that during the visit of I.Aliyev to Ukraine in May of this year the sides signed a bilateral agreement on creation of the presidential council. The document says that once a year the presidents will hold a meeting. The council will settle political, economic and humanitarian issues. Thus, owing to this council, the meetings will be regular, at least once in Azerbaijan and once in Ukraine.

- Where will the first meeting be held?

- I think President of Ukraine will pay a working visit to Azerbaijan. I suppose this will occur in the first quarter of the next year.

- And one more question about the activity of our diaspora in Ukraine. It is called one of the most active Azerbaijani diasporas. At the same time for some time the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Ukraine faced internal differences of the steering nature. Have they been eliminated yet?

- The thing is that on the whole our diaspora movement in young. In fact, before Azerbaijan gained independence, our compatriots had not engaged in the diaspora movement, the situation changed with the appearance of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Ukraine became the first country where Azerbaijanis created their organizations. After it there have been created more similar organizations in other countries of the world.

Naturally, considering the youngness of our diaspora, definite stages of its organization, not always simply, must pass. It is impossible without it. And it is quite obvious that under completion of the powers of a leadership of the organization and its replacement with a new one there can be definite differences, which pass quickly however.

Today, the congress must certainly expand its influence among local Azerbaijanis in Ukraine and improve its work.

At the same time, in Ukraine there have been created a new charity organization - the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Friendship Foundation. Through the short period of time, the foundation managed to demonstrate its potential. It is possible to say that owing to this foundation we have implemented several good projects and they have acquired a sufficient resonance both in Ukraine and Azerbaijan. With the appearance of this foundation the diaspora movement of Aezrbaijanis in Ukraine has become more operative, perspective and effective.

Thus, I am sure that the future of the Azerbaijani diaspora of Ukraine as the first diaspora, which executed the ideas of Heydar Aliyev and has become a sort of a pioneer, is perspective and such state of affairs will further continue.

/Day.Az/