Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with Angelino Alfano, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic

At the meeting, Ministers noted that 25 years anniversary of establishment diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Italy is celebrated this year and they jointly expressed their satisfaction on development of comprehensive cooperation in all the fields in those years.

Characterizing Azerbaijan as a critical and reliable partner and calling relations with Azerbaijan strategic, Minister Angelino Alfano talked about the high level political dialogue between the two countries. Furthermore, A.Alfano mentioned the importance of relations in the field of energy and significance of TAP project. Adding that there is a wide range of opportunities in deepening economic relations along other sectors.

Minister Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan and Italy enjoy strategic partnership relations, as it was enshrined in the Joint Statement adopted within the visit of the President of Azerbaijan, H.E Mr. Ilham Aliyev to Italy in 2014. E.Mammadyarov underlined that Italy is the biggest trade partner of Azerbaijan in the European Union. He also stressed that the relations in the sphere of humanitarian field is crucial and talked about the importance of activities being done by Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

E.Mammadyarov put special stress on Southern Gas Corridor and TANAP and TAP projects as its crucial components.. He also gave information on North-South and East-West transport corridors and praised the promising cooperation in this direction as mutually beneficial.

Furthermore, E.Mammadyarov briefed his counterpart about the current status of Azerbaijan-European Union cooperation and negotiation process on strategic partnership agreement. 

Elmar Mammadyarov touched upon the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and stated the importance of expressing EU's commitment to the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence and inviolability of borders of states in a common and unambiguous manner in respect of all conflicts.

At the end, joint press conference was held with participation of both Ministers.

http://mfa.gov.az/en/news/909/4851