Today.Az - Azerbaijan is a unique example in term of energy supply: Lithuanian FM

Today.Az » Politics » Azerbaijan is a unique example in term of energy supply: Lithuanian FM - UPDATED

07 April 2009 [11:30] - Today.Az

12:30

The cooperation with Lithuania will allow Azerbaijan to appear on the European Union market, Lithuanian Minister Vigaudas Ushatskas said. Ushatskas is on a state visit to Baku. Today, the minister attended the Azerbaijani-Lithuanian business-forum in Baku.

"Lithuanian businessmen will discuss the possibilities of development tourism in Baku. Lithuanian entrepreneurs will propose energy projects, given the fact that energy is one of the important developed spheres in Azerbaijan," Ushatskas said.

Azerbaijani Deputy Economic Development Minister Niyazi Safarov said that Azerbaijan and Lithuania will contribute to the development of trade turnover. In 2008, the trade turnover between the countries hit $26 million.

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11:12

My visit aims to establish and enhance Azerbaijan-Lithuania relations which have always been on a high level, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Ušackas told reporters in Baku.

"We want to deepen our dialogue both in political and economic spheres, specifically in energy as Azerbaijan is a unique example in terms of energy supplies," he said.

He said Lithuania is one of the supporters of Azerbaijan's admission to the EU Eastern Partnership Program.

Eastern Partnership has been initiated by Poland and Sweden as a part of the neighborhood policy which aims to improve EU relations with the post Soviet countries. Eastern Partnership will cover six EU neighbor states - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The EU will allocate ?600 million for neighbor states in 2009-2013.

Minister said the sides have already signed a memorandum on deepening a political dialogue between Lithuania and Azerbaijan. "A large group of businessmen have arrived with me in an effort to establish investment and trade mechanism with Azerbaijan," Ušackas said.

He said Lithuania backs peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and EU's participation in the resolution.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister will inaugurate Trade House of Lithuania in Azerbaijan, Lithuanian ambassador to Azerbaijan Kestutis Kudzmanas told Trend News on April 4.

"Trade House of Lithuania is expected to be inaugurated during Ušackas's official visit on April 7-8," Kudzmanas said.

Ušackas will meet with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Azerbaijani MPs and Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev. The meetings will focus on future bilateral cooperation, Kudzmanas said.

Azerbaijan-Lithuania business forum will be organized during the visit. The Foreign Minister is accompanied with a delegation of ministries and Lithuanian leading companies, ambassador said earlier.

The previous Azerbaijan-Lithuania business forum was held in Vilnius on Sept. 13, 2007. Azerbaijani and Lithuanian Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Valdas Adamkus opened the forum.

Azerbaijan-Lithuania trade turnover totaled $192.9 million in 2008. Exports to Lithuania were $161 million and import $31.83 million in 2008.

/Trend Capital/