Azerbaijan, Pakistan to renew agreement on air communication

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan and Pakistan will sign documents regarding the development of bilateral economic cooperation, including an agreement on air communication.

“Azerbaijan prepared documents on economic cooperation for the upcoming official visit of Pakistani President to Azerbaijan,” Dashgin Shikarov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Pakistan told Trend.

The ambassador said that the documents include agreements on the exchange of prisoners, cooperation in education field, as well as trade and economic cooperation.

The documents are expected to be signed as part Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain's visit to Baku on March 11-14.

The ambassador added that both sides will also touch upon agreement on air communication.

The two countries intend to renew air communication between Baku and Islamabad. Either “AZAL” or “Turkish Airlines” will have the right to carry out the flights on Baku-Istanbul-Islamabad route.

The main focus during the visit will be paid to bilateral economic cooperation in order to increase ties between the two friendly countries.

“The Pakistan president will be accompanied by several officials. As part of the visit a business-forum bringing together businessmen from both countries will be held,” Shikarov said.

The diplomat added the two countries have huge potential growth and prospects in the economic field.

“Pakistan is among the world top three leading countries on textile export as well as sports equipment, which is used almost in all European and World sport competitions and championships. Azerbaijani businessmen might be interested in such goods.” he said.

Azerbaijan, for its part, intends to invest in the energy sector. The two sides plan to focus their efforts in developing bilateral relations in the fields of energy and agriculture.

“Azerbaijan has a huge reserves of oil and gas, as well as experience in the energy field. Pakistan has experience in the fields of agriculture and dairy production. Thus, the two countries might cooperate in these fields,” he noted.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan made up $2,8 million in 2014, according to the Azerbaijan State Customs Committee.

The two countries have fruitful political ties. The two sides also support each other on the international arena. Pakistan supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, condemning the aggressive policy of Armenia.

Pakistan is the first country to have adopted a resolution strongly condemning the genocide against the civilian population of Khojaly, committed by Armenia armed forces.

In 2012, the Senate of Pakistan recognized that genocide had indeed taken place in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.