President Aliyev: Azerbaijan, Croatia strengthening strategic partnership

The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Croatia is expanding and strengthening, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was on an official visit to Croatia, said at a joint press conference with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic on September 6.

“I want to note that we want to carry out a larger volume of trade with Croatia. Neither the scope nor the structure of the trade turnover can satisfy us. I believe that the intergovernmental commission will work very seriously on this issue,” he said.

Ilham Aliyev underlined that the energy cooperation is very important.

“Azerbaijan is very active in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor and has been the initiator of this huge project. This project unites seven countries and envisages the construction of a 3,500-kilometer-long pipeline from Baku to Europe and the development of the giant Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan. This project, consisting of four segments, is being successfully implemented. The Southern Gas Corridor was officially launched in May this year. In June we celebrated the opening of the TANAP project. So, I am sure that in the next two years, Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to European countries for the first time. Thus, the next contribution to Europe's energy security will be made and Azerbaijan will be able to present its gas potential to the world and to Europe even more,” he said.

Certainly, cooperation with Croatia in this area is very important, President Aliyev said.

“Meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council are held in Baku for four consecutive years. Croatia is represented at these meetings at a high level. A memorandum was signed between us. Very important negotiations are underway on the construction of the Ionian-Adriatic gas pipeline,” he noted.

Speaking at the press conference, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said that the great potential available in a number of areas of cooperation between the two states was discussed.

“We also exchanged views on political issues, including energy, economy, culture, science-technology, education and, of course, the development of direct contacts between our peoples. I believe that documents that we signed today are important and this will give impetus to our bilateral relations,” she said.

As part of the visit, following a meeting in an expanded format with the participation of delegations, a ceremony to sign documents in such spheres as agriculture and culture was held.

During the one-on-one meeting which took place earlier, the heads of state hailed the successful development of relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia in political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres. The importance of this visit was emphasized in terms of further strengthening of relations between the two countries.