Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister arrives in Azerbaijan

The due announcement was made by adviser for Azerbaijan's embassy to Turkmenistan Vahdat Sultanzade, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

Sultanzade noted that the delegation included deputy chairman of Turkmenistan's Cabinet of Ministers Khydyr Saparliyev, Azerbaijani ambassador to Turkmenistan Elkhan Guseynov and other officials.

"During the visit the Turkmenistan governmental delegation in Baku will hold a number of meetings with country's leadership to discuss repayment of Azerbaijan's debt as well as prospects of economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan", the adviser for the embassy said.

According to Sultanzade, during the visit the delegation intends to hold meetings with first vice premier Yagub Eyubov, Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov and other officials.

Rashi Meredov will also meet with country's President Ilham Aliyev today.

"As Khydyr Saparliyev is at the same time a co-chairman of the Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan intergovernmental commission, during the meeting with his counterpart Yagub Eyubov he will discuss implementation of the decisions of the first session of the intergovernmental commission held in Ashkhabat in early 2008 and preparations for the second session", Sultanzade noted.

According to the press service for Turkmenistan's president, deputy chairman of Turkmenistan's Cabinet of Ministers Saparliyev was empowered to sign due intergovernmental agreement between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on behalf of country's government.

The visit of the Turkmen delegation to Azerbaijan will last one day.

The first session of the intergovernmental commission for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in economic and humanitarian spheres was held in Ashkhabat on January 17.

Azerbaijan was represented by a delegation, led by first vice premier Yagub Eyubov. During the meeting, the sides reached an agreement on regulation of debt and signed the due protocol which notes that the sides agreed to repay debt on basis of mutual compromise.

Azerbaijan recognizes its debt to Turkmenistan in the amount of $26,700,000 with $18,700,000 falling on the remaining state debt for gas, received in 1993-1994 and $8,000,000 are the debts of economic establishments. Turkmenistan, in turn, insists on the amount of $56,000,000 considering the interest rates.