Moldovan-Azeri inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation to resume work after ten-year break

Chisinau, 9 February /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu pays a visit to Baku, at an invitation by Foreign Affairs Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.    

At the meeting, the officials discussed the strengthening of the bilateral dialogue, especially on the commercial and economic dimensions, energy sector, investments and agriculture, with enhanced emphasis on the processing of fruits and vegetables.  

„We established along with Minister Jeyhun Bayramov the resumption, in the nearest future, after a ten-year break, of the work of the Moldovan-Azeri inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation, as well as the holding of a bilateral forum of business people on the sidelines of this commission,’’ Deputy PM Nicu Popescu said.   

In the context of the promotion of priorities as to the economic diplomacy, the sides spoke out for boosting the cooperation between small- and medium-sized enterprises. The officials agreed on a visit to Chisinau, in the near future, by a delegation of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency from  Azerbaijan, in order to sign an agreement on cooperation with the Investments Agency of Moldova. At the same time, the interlocutors discussed the promotion on the agenda of the negotiation of an agreement on the cutting of the roaming tariffs.     

„I emphasized the strategic importance of the southern corridor of gas, for the diversification of the sources and networks of import of natural gas, as well as the enhancing of Moldova’s energy resilience,’’ Nicu Popescu noted.  

At the same time, the sides agreed, for the next period, on the holding of a round of bilateral political consultations at the level of state secretaries. Also, Deputy PM Nicu Popescu expressed the Moldovan authorities’ willingness to provide expertise in demining.   

An important subject of the dialogue was focused on the interaction of Moldova and Azerbaijan within international and regional organizations, including the mutual support of the two countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Photo: Foreign Affairs Ministry of Azerbaijan