Following the signature ceremony of documents, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Romania made press statements.

Statement of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

- Dear guests, distinguished friends:

I greet you cordially once again in Azerbaijan and extend my welcome to Azerbaijan.

Mister President, your visit has a tremendous importance. I am sure that it is going to have very successful results. Following the visit, Romanian-Azerbaijani relationship will evolve even speedier. Our relations have a very great history, and it will be marked by a very brilliant future because the ties between us in all fields are relying on friendship and sincerity. We are partners in the political field, and the document signed today demonstrates once again that true strategic partnership relations are built between us. We highly value this relationship. I am convinced that these relations will make a strong impetus to the overwhelming development in all fields and directions in the future. Our meetings with you in political field got the regular nature. We meet often times either in Romania, or in Azerbaijan or in other countries. To put it briefly, the political dialogue is very strong between us. It allows enable political ties to exercise positive impact on all other fields too.

Today, good prospective is opening up between us in economic field. I am sure that the strong nature of our political ties plays and will continue to play a positive role both in investment making process and beneficial activities of various companies. The energy co-operation is under development. Crude oil is being exported from Azerbaijan to Romania. Azerbaijani State Oil Company expands its activities in Romania. There are also excellent opportunities for successful collaboration in gas field too. As you may know, the Declaration on Southern Gas Corridor was signed early this year between the European Union and Azerbaijan. Energy security issues of Europe will be solved on the basis of this Declaration at the expense of Azerbaijani resources. Azerbaijan has rich gas reserves, and these resources are being delivered to world markets via different ways. In this context, Romanian-Azerbaijani relations gain an exceptional character because Romania is the active member of Nabucco project, but also one of the initiators of AGRI project.

Upon your initiative, AGRI project got its start-up. AGRI Summit organization with your participation in Baku last September yielded concrete results. For the time being, the concrete work is underway to elaborate a feasibility study of the project.

I do hope that Romanian-Azerbaijani relations will impact strongly also on Azerbaijani-European relations. The co-operation between the European Union and Azerbaijan is built now in the framework of Eastern Partnership. At the same time, energy co-operation has bright future. There is an favorable environment for the development of ties between the European Union and Azerbaijan in all other fields. These ties enjoy equal rights relying upon and should rely upon the principles of friendship and partnership.

The relations between our countries are not limited only by economic, energy ad political fields. There are good examples of co-operation in humanitarian field. The monument of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev was erected in Bucharest. Romanian great composer George Enescu’s monument was installed in Baku. We have participated at that event jointly with you. It impacts very positively on the ties between peoples.

To but it briefly, our relations and ties are multifaceted and not limited by any specific field. Both sides have strong political will for the development of these links.

I am confident that the development of our relations will impact positively on the co-operation between Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions. There is a big need for that. Transport, energy and economic projects linking Black and Caspian Sea regions should be supported. In this respect, the ties between Romania and Azerbaijan have a special importance. Currently, we are very delighted by the highest level of these relations.

I would like to say once again that a plenty of documents, including today’s document were signed between us. Among them, the document on strategic partnership has a special importance. As a result of its implementation, I am sure that our ties will develop even faster in various directions.

Mister President, I greet you sincerely once again in Azerbaijan. I am confident that your visit will be successful and pleasant for you.

Press statement of President of Romania Traian Băsescu

- Me too, Mister President, I would like to stress my deep thanks for having invited me to your country. We do always make a big progress in our meetings. Today is not exception. Today, the signature of several documents between governments as well as the document signed in the field of strategic partnership mean a tremendous breakthrough in our ties.

It is very important for us to make the co-operation with Azerbaijan because Azerbaijan plays a role of bridge in Caspian basin. At the same time, Romania plays also a role of bridge for Azerbaijan to European markets. In my opinion, we have turned all our initiatives into reality insofar since the outset of our collaboration. It proves that our political will is strong and our co-operation is going very rapidly. It shows clearly that our political will contributes already to our economic co-operation too. It is very delightful that today we can speak about the big success in AGRI project. The relevant company is chosen already while the feasibility study is underway. It shows that after the Summit in September, we wasted no time. I express my gratitude to you for your support to AGRI initiative and Nabucco. As you know, Romania supports persistently this project.

We are very glad that we managed to expand our co-operation to other fields too. It applies particularly to the field of ICT. The Romanian company runs already its activities in this field. I am sure that we will expand further our co-operation in this field in the future.

Today, we have discussed with you also other opportunities. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) participates closely in the economic development of Romania. It would be very desirable and expedient for us to see the active participation of SOCAR in the privatization process going on in Romania. To me, such an important company as SOCAR has opportunities to create gas filling stations in Romanian market. I think that this is a very important issue. In its turn, it will serve to stimulate the competitiveness and ensures low fuel prices.

I would also like to point out that besides the signed documents, we should increase our co-operation in defense and military industry fields too. In my opinion, we will finalize the discussion of an agreement in relevant field between Romania and Azerbaijan in second half of the current year.

As a conclusion, let me stress also several points. I would like to point out that we value very much value the great patience of Azerbaijan and sincerity demonstrated in negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh issue because Romania is deeply concerned by still pending resolution of this frozen conflict. This conflict is located in the region close to the Black Sea basin. In my view, this region is in the area which is very important for NATO, the European Union and Romania. I am sure that this conflict should be solved in the framework of international law norms. Respect to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the countries is the fundamental principle. I hope that Nagorno Karabakh conflict will find its resolution indeed on the basis of these principles within the inviolability of territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the respect of international law.