Azernews.Az

By Rasana Gasimova

Germany is among Azerbaijan’s top five trading partners. However, the two countries seek to expand cooperation in other spheres as well.

Berlin wants an early signing of partnership agreement between EU and Azerbaijan, German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Wolfgang Manig said at a press conference in Baku on September 30.

“This agreement will encompass various spheres, trade being one of them. We want to increase the number of German businessmen visiting Azerbaijan. The agreement will also establish a legal basis for foreign investments in Azerbaijan,” Manig said.

The Ambassador noted that Germany will chair the UN Security Council soon, adding that “we would like to expand our cooperation with Azerbaijan within this agency."

Manig went on to say that Germany will chair the European Union in the summer of 2020, and in the fall the country will chair the Council of Europe.

“The Council of Europe is also an important organization for Azerbaijan. We want Azerbaijan to draw even closer to the EU structures and closely cooperate with them on developing bilateral relations, “he said.

The Ambassador also praised the recent meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in the US to negotiate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“We thank the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for managing to ensure negotiations in a calm atmosphere despite the difficulty of the conflict. I know that in such cases people look forward to the resolution of the conflict, however this requires patience. The meeting of the foreign ministers is a positive factor. It didn’t lead to the settlement of the conflict, but the meeting itself is a positive sign,” he said.

Manig also noted that Germany is cooperating with NGOs, UN agencies and the Committee of the Red Cross regarding the settlement of the conflict.

“The main thing is to find a practical solution to the conflict. First of all, it is important to ensure dialog between the two peoples,” he said.

Germany is among Azerbaijan’s top five trading partners. The major portion of trade turnover figures fall to the share of industrial production. German exports to Azerbaijan consist mainly of motor vehicles, iron and steel goods, machinery and production facilities.

The two countries enjoy strong ties in a wide spectrum of co-operations, including trade and investment, education and culture.

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