Azerbaijan hopes volume of the Azerbaijani oil pumped via the
Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline will be increased, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev said during his business visit to Moscow, RIA Novosti
reported.
"The Baku-Novorossiysk oil pipeline is functioning within a long
period of time and we intend to increase volume of the Azerbaijani oil
pumped via this pipeline in future," President Aliyev said at a news
conference on the Russian-Azerbaijani negotiations on April 17.
The Azerbaijani president said cooperation in power engineering
field is under development and Azerbaijan seriously hopes for mutually
beneficial cooperation in this field.
The president spoke about cooperation in gas sector and noted that
this topic is "relatively new" among those discussed recently.
"But I think we can speak about the progress in this direction,
because it has taken only little time. Gazprom and the Azerbaijani
state company are currently negotiating over agreement on memorandum
signed recently. This fact testifies for mutual interest," the
Azerbaijani president said.
Meanwhile, Ilham Aliyev noted that the country does not see any restrictions in this field.
"To diversify gas deliveries is an element of cooperation for
Azerbaijan in this field, as the Azerbaijani gas is transported in the
western direction at the moment. To diversify deliveries and enter new
markets, of course, displays a great interest for Azerbaijan, as for
other countries," the head of the state said.
The president hopes the negotiations between the companies will be fruitful.
"I hope cooperation in energy field, particularly in gas, will take
place under mutually beneficial conditions and spirit of good
neighboring relations. We are neighbors and there are not any transit
countries between us, there is enough efficient transport
infrastructure and no necessity for extra investments to construct
pipelines and gas pipelines. These initial positions are all very
profitable and it is necessary for the companies to reach an agreement
in goodwill spirit and then cooperation in gas field between Azerbaijan
and Russia will gradually become part of common cooperation between our
two countries," the Azerbaijani president said.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to Russia
"for attempts to align positions on the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh problem", RIA
Novosti reported.
The president voiced his hope that the conflict will be resolved soon enough.
"Of course, the absence of any result cannot gladden us. However, we
cannot turn a blind eye to a certain progress in the talks. This
progress gives us hopes that the conflict will be resolved soon enough.
Positions of the sides have become closer to a certain extent lately.
Some issues which were difficult to solve earlier have been
coordinated. It provides a good basis to continue talks," Aliyev said
in a news conference on results of the Russia-Azerbaijan talks on April
17.
The President said there are issues that sides cannot agree upon.
Aliyev said Baku's efforts are based on constructive approach, international law and restoration of historical justice.
"Admittedly, Azerbaijan's lands have been under occupation for
almost 20 years. This fact has been recognized by entire world
community. We hope we will be able to advance resolution process in
coming months and achieve a resolution which will meet interests of
both countries, ensure restoration of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and restoration of norms and principles in our region. It
will benefit everybody. In this case we can speak of full-scale
regional cooperation in the South Caucasus," Azerbaijani President said.
Russia would like to achieve maximum progress in the negotiations on
the [Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict] Nagorno-Karabakh resolution,
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, the RIA Novosti reported.
"I think the regular meetings between the presidents of Azerbaijan
and Armenia are very important. Russia is ready to fulfill its mandate.
We have always tried to contribute to the process. If such contacts are
continued - there is not another alternative - I'm sure that the
problem can be solved merely on the basis of interests of both nations
and new proposals, Medvedev said to journalists after the talks with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on April 17.
Medvedev did not rule out "new ideas" to appear in this respect.
"It is necessary to act in a legal platform, but not be closed from
new approaches, which may infuse a fresh spirit into the situation
enabling to consolidate positions. I believe it is possible," he said. .
Medvedev stressed that the Russian Federation would take its utmost to resolve the complicated, but solvable problem.
According to Russian President, the sides hear each other's arguments.
"There are prospects, and one needs to rely on international law and
resolutions adopted by the UN and the OSCE. I think there is a
progress. The most important is that to prevent the process from impact
of complex factors. The sides must show restraint and see the
prospects," Medvedev said.
Resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict became the major subject at
the talks between Medvedev and Aliyev. Russia, as a co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group, continues to help finding compromise options to reach
agreement between Baku and Yerevan.
Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia confirmed their
adherence to a political resolution to the conflict at the trilateral
meeting in Moscow in November.
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