Azeri, German Ministries Sign Economic Cooperation Accord

Azerbaijani Minister of Industry and Energy Natiq Aliyev and German Economics and Technologies Minister Michael Glos signed a cooperation accord between their ministries in Baku on 19 October, the Azerbaijani news agency Trend has reported.

Both ministers were quoted as stating mutual interest in developing cooperation, but no details of the agreement were reported.

Speaking at the opening of an Azerbaijani-German business form in Baku, Glos highlighted the importance of Azerbaijan’s participation in the Nabucco gas pipeline project, the day.az website reported.

“There is great potential for cooperation between our countries. In particular, German companies are interested in such industries as power engineering, the light and food industry, water transport, as well as environmental and social projects,” the website quoted Glos as saying.

“There are also opportunities to invest in the area of information technology and creation of sources of alternative energy. We are interested in cooperating with a country that has its own base of raw materials,” Glos added.

Glos also pledged German support for Azerbaijan’s WTO entry bid.

For his part, Natiq Aliyev called for a boost to Azerbaijani- German trade turnover, day.az said. Trend quoted Aliyev as saying that Azerbaijan is interested in advanced technologies being used by German companies.

Sources:

Trend news agency, Baku, in Russian 1016 gmt 19 Oct 07

Day.az website, Baku, in Russian 0828 gmt 19 Oct 07

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