OREANDA-NEWS. June 08, 2010. Belarus and Azerbaijan have identified co-operation in manufacturing industry as a promising avenue of interaction. This position was confirmed by President Alexander Lukashenko and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku during the course of the Belarusian Leader’s three-day official visit to Azerbaijan.

This is the second visit to Azerbaijan by the President of Belarus. The first one took place in May 2007. Ilham Aliyev visited Belarusian twice too: in October 2006 and November 2009.

Alexander Lukashenko and Ilham Aliyev held talks in Baku, first in a one-on-one meeting, then with the participation of their delegations.

The main theme of the talks was trade and economic relations. The sides discussed the progress made in implementing joint projects and considered new promising areas of co-operation. Special attention was paid to the development of co-operation in the production of science-intensive goods and in the field of high technology.

Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Belarus in the trans-Caucasian region. From Azerbaijan, Belarusian-Azerbaijani producers can advance into markets of third countries.

In 2009, Azerbaijan was Belarus’s 6th largest trading partner in the CIS and moved from the 6th to 5th position as the largest importer of Belarusian products. Last year the trade turnover reached USD124.6 million and rose by 1.6 per cent in comparison with 2008. Belarus enjoyed a trade surplus of USD 116 million. In January-March 2010 the bilateral trade amounted to USD 42.8 million, up by 27.8 per cent from the same period in 2009.

The Presidents discussed interaction in foreign policy and touched upon a wide range of bilateral matters, as well as regional and international issues. Also, the Heads of State paid attention to close interaction between Belarus and Azerbaijan in integration institutions, including the CIS and Eastern Partnership.

Humanitarian co-operation and joint scientific research projects were considered as a separate topic. The Leaders discussed the whole range of matters pertaining to Belarusian-Azerbaijani relations, from cultural exchange and educational programmes to mutual interests in the field of energy.

Addressing the Belarusian Leader, President Ilham Aliyev said, "Our relations are developing in a very dynamic and positive vein. We are working successfully on many joint projects. All that we plan to do we do fast and efficiently. I think that your visit will give a strong impetus to further progress of the bilateral relations."

The President of Belarus thanked Ilham Aliyev for the warm and friendly welcome. "Time-honoured good traditions of close co-operation and mutual assistance between our peoples do not only remain viable but are also becoming increasingly large-scale in today’s difficult conditions," said the Head of State.

Alexander Lukashenko has praised the efficiency of the bilateral dialogue which, according to him, is bringing good results. For example, the trade turnover between Belarus and Azerbaijan has risen more than four times over the past five years. However, the President of Belarus believes the two countries still have a huge untapped potential for co-operation. The countries have prepared joint projects for several years ahead to a total amount of USD 1 billion.