Najib to make first official visit to Azerbaijan from today

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will make his first official visit to Azerbaijan on Sept 11-12 at the invitation of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

Malaysian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Datuk Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman said the visit would pave the way for closer cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, namely trade and investment.

“Malaysia and Azerbaijan established diplomatic ties in 1995. In 2013, total trade with Azerbaijan amounted to US$ 18.3 million ( RM57.7 million), total exports to Azerbaijan were US$ 15.3 million ( RM48.2 million) while imports from Azerbaijan were US$ 3 million ( RM9.6 million),” he told Malaysian journalists here yesterday.

During the visit, Najib is scheduled to have a four- eyed meeting with Aliyev, which will be followed by a delegation meeting.

“The meetings will provide an excellent opportunity for both leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest, including regional and international issues, and foster cooperation through new ventures to further strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and Azerbaijan,” he said.

Najib and Aliyev are expected to sign a joint declaration that outlines the commitment of the two countries to enhance bilateral and economic relations in various fields, he said.

Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, are scheduled to arrive in Baku on Thursday night.

Tomorrow, after the official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Najib is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Aliyev, to be followed by the delegation meeting.

Later, they will witness the signing of memorandums of understanding and agreement, including on economic, scientific and technical cooperation, in the training of diplomats and between Petronas and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan ( SOCAR) on cooperation in the oil and gas sectors. — Bernama