Swiss President Pascal Couchepin: "We want solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity" - UPDATED

13.05.08

09.55

The new building of Swiss embassy has opened in Baku, APA reports

Swiss President attended inauguration of building and noted that relations would be further developed effectively.

“Switzerland has political, cultural and social relations with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani art figures are known in Switzerland,” he said.

He stated that Swiss businessmen are interested in allocating investments to construction, energy, chemical industry and pharmacology. He stressed that he had familiarized with the problems of the region and noted that Switzerland supported peaceful solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Ogtay Asadov, Speaker of MM noted that inauguration of new building will serve for the development of relations between the two countries. The speaker mentioned that about 20 Swiss companies functioned in Baku and noted that it would further increase. Asadov added that interparliamentary relations played a great role in the development of bilateral relations. Asadov noted that Azerbaijan-Switzerland Friendship Group functioned in MM and stressed that analogical group was expected to establish in Swiss Parliament.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, other Ministers, MPs and heads of diplomatic corps attended the event.

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12.05.08

17:08

Day.Az reports with reference to ANS-Press that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a one-on-one meeting with President of Switzerland Pascal Couchepin.

During the meeting the sides voiced satisfaction with the successful development of bilateral ties and stressed good prospects for the further deepening of ties.

The Presidents of both countries stressed importance of conduction of meetings between Azerbaijan and Switzerland on a high level.

Couchepin voiced confidence that his visit to our country will promote further expansion of bilateral ties.

The president exchanged views on bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues.

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13:18

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev holds a one-to-one meeting with Swiss President Pascal Couchepin.

The due information was provided by the press service for the Swiss embassy to Azerbaijan.

The meeting of the president is planned to be held in the expanded format with participation with the government members of the two countries.

It should be noted that Couchepin's visit to Azerbaijan started on Saturday. On May 10 and May 11 President of Switzerland saw the places of interest in Baku and visited the Azerbaijan Museum of History.

In the second half of the day, Couchepin will discuss prospects of cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries with the speaker of Azerbaijani Milli Medjlis.

By the end of the day a ceremonial event on the official opening of a new building of embassy to Azerbaijan, locating in Icheri Sheher, will be held with participation of the Swiss president.

Couchepin's visit to Azerbaijan will end on May 12.

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12:54

President of Swiss Confederation Pascal Couchepin is on the official visit to Azerbaijan. Pascal Couchepin and the delegation accompanied him have made a tour of the Sangachal oil terminal near Baku on May 11, APA quotes AzerTAC state agency.

Accompanied by the first Vice-President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Khoshbakht Yusifzadeh and leadership of the terminal, members of the Swiss delegation first became acquainted with the Caspian Energy Center, a world-class oil and gas exhibition telling about exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas from the Caspian Sea in line with the "Contract of the Century".

The visitors have been informed that the terminal, whose construction began in 2001, has three crude tanks with a storage capacity of nearly 880,000 barrels each and oil and gas processing trains, main power generators and pumps and a central control room. The terminal is connected with oil and gas fields 187 km offshore by underwater pipelines.

The delegation of the Swiss Confederation led by President Pascal Couchepin traveled to Gobustan historical cultural reserve located 65 kilometers Southwest of Baku, on Sunday.

The visitors were informed that the reserve included 5 mountains called Boyukdash, Kichikdash, Jingirdash, Shongardash and Sykhgaya, where first hunter tribes of Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods and first cattle-breeders of Neolithic period settled.

The reserve has more than 600,000 rock paintings, which depict primitive men, animals, battle-pieces, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with armed oarsmen, warriors with lances in their hands, camel caravans, pictures of sun and stars, on the average dating back to 5,000-20,000 years.

More than 40 burial-mounds and 105 thousands material samples of culture were found there. UNESCO included the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape in the World Heritage list. Swiss President familiarized with historical exponents and research works. The guest noted that Azerbaijan has rich and ancient culture and stressed that he has determined it after visit to Gobustan and familiarization with rock paintings.

President of Swiss Confederation Pascal Couchepin visited "Garadag Sement" Open Joint Stock Company and "Caspian Fish Co. Azerbaijan " Corporation on May 11. The guest was informed that corporation was founded in 2001. The company’s fish processing capacity is 300 tons of fish per day. It employs about 1000 workers. $56 million was allocated to the construction of the company. It is one of its kinds in Caspian region. The President got acquainted with the fish processing and caviar producing shops and production process. Then, Swiss President signed guest-book .

Swiss President arrived at Icheri Sheher (Inner City), historical part of Baku on May 11. He familiarized with Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden’s Tower.

Couchepin visited Azerbaijan National Historical Museum on Sunday. He was informed that museum was established in 1920 and it has over 300.000 items. The President signed a guestbook. Swiss President‘s visit continues.

/APA/