Yuri Shedrin: "Azerbaijan is, undoubtedly, Russia's main partner in the region"

- Do you think the situation, established in Georgian-Russian relations, will influence Russia's economic presence in the South Caucasus? Will the Russian side focus on the trade and economic cooperation with Azerbaijan and Armenia? If yes, in which spheres will it concentrate this cooperation?

- The trade representation can not analyze the political situation in the world. As regards Russia's presence in the South Caucasus region, Azerbaijan is, undoubtedly, its main partner with its trade turnover exceeding this trade indicator with Georgia and Armenia by 1.4 times altogether. I consider it unfounded to worsen our bilateral trade and economic relations for the further perspective. Moreover, I hope for significant progress in mutually profitable investment cooperation.

- How did the July visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan influence the development of economic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan? Have you noticed any progress as regards the unsettled issues?

- First I all, I would like to note that Azerbaijan was one of the first foreign countries, which President of Russia Medvedev visited. This proves the external political priorities of our country.

The process and results of the visit were covered by the mass media in details. Therefore, without boring you with details, I would like to state with confidence that the talks on the high level, conducted in friendly and constructive environment, signing of a joint declaration on friendship and strategic partnership, as well as a number of other bilateral documents will be a new stimulus for the Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation, including in trade and economic sector. It is not by accident that the official Russian delegation included the minister of energy, heads of federal departments of the economic bloc and such big companies, as Lukoil, Gazprom, Transneft, Russian railroads, Vneshtorgbank, heads of frontier subjects of Russia.

I suppose that in the near future we will witness implementation of joint and regional projects in the sphere of energy, industry, transport and others. This, as well as indicators of the trade turnover between our countries in the first half of this year ($1,042 bln), allow to propose the execution of the task, set by Medvedev for hitting the 2 bln limit in mutual trade by the end of the year.

- What can you say about the coordination of the document on mutual protection and encouragement of investments and can it be possibly signed during the next session of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan? Russian mass media have spread information that the reason of the failure to agree was Russia's demand of more privileged conditions of support of its investments. Is it true?

- Unfortunately, there have been no significant progress at the talks on the draft intergovernmental agreement on encouragement and mutual protection of investments. The main cause is again the differences between the parties on the order and terms of effectiveness of the said document. I consider the thoughts about any other demands of the Russian side on this issue to be false. Naturally, we would like this agreement to be signed by the end of this year, which would allow bringing our investment cooperation to quite a new level.

- Have the terms and site for conduction of the next session of the commission been defined yet?

- I hope that the next 12th session of the intergovernmental commission will be held in Q3 of this year in Baku, as fixed in the protocol of the next session of the commission. The final decision on this issue will be passed by the commission co-chairs, including Russian Energy Minister Shmatko and first deputy Premier of Azerbaijan Eyubov, who are maintaining a constructive dialogue.

- What do you think are the most urgent aspects of bilateral relations, to be discussed at the session?

- As a rule, during the sessions the commission discusses a wide range of issues of our cooperation in the economic, scientific and technical and humanitarian spheres. The recent 11th session of the commission, which considered about 30 different issues, was not an exception. Their implementation is under constant control of the national secretariats of the commission and, certainly, the trade representation, in the framework of its powers. I suppose that in the conceptual plan, the next session will primarily consider issues of implementation of well-known agreements, attained during the July visit of Russian President to Baku.

It is planning to ratify the corrected measures to the program of a long-term economic cooperation for period until 2010, hear reports of the heads of the joint work group, created for assessment of the technical state of a bridge via the Samur river. Certainly, the sides will also discuss execution of agreements in different economic spheres, in the sphere of regional and frontier cooperation, as well as humanitarian sector. I hope that serious attention will be paid to the further development of the contract basis of the bilateral cooperation and other measures, aimed to create favorable conditions for the interaction of the business circles of the two countries.

- Which steps are taken to intensify the operation of control checkpoints at the Russian-Azerbaijani border?

- The question is urgent enough, as a car checkpoint on the Russian-Azerbaijani border is too narrow for conducting of the growing volumes of mutual cargo and passenger transportations. The motor bridge via the Samur river is in a disastrous state. In line with the decision of the commission, a joint commission was created in February of this year to examine its technical state and develop due decisions. The members of the commission, led by deputy Foreign Ministries of Russia and Azerbaijan, visited the spot in May of this year and they will soon present their recommendations. It is important that during the visit of Russian President Medvedev to Baku the customs services of Russia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on cooperation in the sphere of combat with customs crimes. I hope that while fulfilling the resolutions of the 11th session of the commission, the frontier and customs services will take all measures for improvement of the operation of border checkpoints with participation of the Transport Ministers of both countries.

- Are Russian officials or business circle representatives expected to visit Azerbaijan?

- A delegation of Astrakhan, led by chairman of the government Markelov, intends to visit Azerbaijan soon. In turn, the organizers of the Azerbaijan-Turkmen conference on problems of economy, energy and ecology, to be held in Baku in early September of this year, have invited the concerned Russian business circles, including those, representing the Caspian littoral subjects of Russia, to attend the conference. The number of mutual contacts in the framework of business partnership is endless.

- Are there any preliminary agreements regarding spheres of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Astrakhan? Do you know which Russian companies will attend the conference, organized by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan?

- First of all, during the visit it is planning to discuss the implementation of an intergovernmental agreement on trade and economic, scientific and technical and cultural cooperation, signed in 2004. The development of bilateral partner relations in the sphere of shipbuilding, marine and air transportations, trade, restoration of biological resources of the Caspian Sea, education, science and culture is an urgent question. Representatives of 11 leading Russian companies, engaged in exploration, production and transportation of Caspian hydrocarbons, have been invited to attend the the conference, organized by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

- How is the problem of deficit of stable communication between Azerbaijan and Russia's regions (for example, absence of a ferry and direct air communication between Astrakhan and Baku) settled?

- There is no special deficit of transport communication between Russian regions and Azerbaijan. They are connected with numerous railway, motor and aviation routes. For example, the Nalchik-Baku air transportations will start operating soon. I suppose that during Markelov's visit to Azerbaijan, the sides will reach an agreement on opening of a direct air flight between Astrakhan and Baku and organization of ferry transportations between the ports of Baku and Olya (Astrakhan).

/Day.Az/