Baku, Moscow to boost economic ties

Azerbaijan and Russia have expressed their commitment to expand economic and transport ties and to continue to work on the post-conflict period during Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Moscow on July 20.

Azerbaijan and Russia have expressed their commitment to expand economic and transport ties and to continue to work on the post-conflict period during Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Moscow on July 20.

Addressing the meeting with Ilham Aliyev, President Vladimir Putin reminded that Russia occupies one of the leading places in Azerbaijan’s economy, adding that a delegation of mixed groups dealing with industry, transport, infrastructure, and some other issues will be sent to Baku soon.

In turn, Aliyev stressed that the trade turnover between the two countries grew in the first six months of 2021 against the backdrop of 10-percent-decline due to COVID-19 last year.

“We are also actively building up cooperation in transport and transit relations,” Aliyev said, reminding that the volume of cargo transported along the NorthSouth transport corridor increased by 20 percent year-on-year in 2021.

“So the corridor is already working in large volumes, one might say.”

Post-conflict situation

Speaking about the post-conflict situation, Putin thanked

Aliyev for “finding compromise solutions”.

“They [compromises] are always the most difficult, but if we want a settlement, and we all do, then we must follow this path. So far, we have been able to do this, for which I want to thank you.”

In turn, Aliyev said Azerbaijan is “determined to ensure that the post-conflict period is as painless as possible. I think we are succeeding in that by common efforts.”

COVID-19 vaccines

The two men also stressed the cooperation in fight against COVID-19.

Aliyev said Russia has so far provided 200,000 Sputnik vaccines to Azerbaijan, while Putin said Baku and Moscow are working on launching a joint vaccine production in Azerbaijan.

Cultural ties

Touching on the cultural ties between the two countries, Aliyev said that the Azerbaijani youth are connected to Russia through language, communication and education.

He reminded that over 15,000 Azerbaijanis are studying in Russia, while another 16,000 students in Azerbaijan go to Russian language departments.

He added that a thousand students are attending our two branches – Moscow State University and Sechenov Medical University in Azerbaijan.