DOHA: The Qatar-Azerbaijan joint intergovernmental trade-economic and technical commission held its first session in Baku yesterday in a friendly atmosphere dominated by a spirit of mutual co-operation and the desire to develop the bilateral relations within the framework of the agreement on setting up of economic, trade and technical commission between the governments of the two countries, which was signed in Baku on March 8, 2016.
The Qatari side was chaired by HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, while the Azerbaijani side was chaired by the Minister of Emergency Situation Kamaladdin Heydarov.
At the beginning of the meeting, Heydarov welcomed HE the Foreign Minister and the accompanying delegation for visiting Azerbaijan, confirming the positive results of the visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Azerbaijan in March 2016, which resulted in the signing of eight agreements.
He also extended thanks to HE the Foreign Minister for the success of his recent visit to Qatar on October 31, 2016.
For his part, HE the Foreign Minister thanked Azerbaijan for the warm welcoming, generous hospitality and good organisation of the commission’s session, praising the significant development of bilateral relations in recent years thanks to the attention and direct supervision by the leaders of both countries.
The two sides reviewed the bilateral ties of co-operation in various fields, and expressed satisfaction at the advanced level of these ties.
They stressed the importance of maintaining what had been achieved and work to make strenuous efforts to ensure the development of bilateral relations to serve the common interests of the two countries and the aspirations of the leadership and the peoples of the two countries.
They also called for benefiting from common experiences and promote visits between trade delegations and raise the partnership at business and the private sector level, and expressed their confidence that the formation of this commission will be a fertile ground for the development of bilateral relations in various fields.
The two sides agreed to continue co-operation in order to develop and strengthen bilateral relations in the economic, trade, investment, industrial, energy, education, environment, agriculture, food, culture, youth and sports, tourism, civil aviation, transport and customs areas.
At the end of meeting, the two sides signed the minutes of the first session of the commission.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev yesterday met HE the Foreign Minister.
During the meeting, HE the Foreign Minister conveyed greetings of HH the Emir to the Azeri President as well as his wishes of progress and growth to the Azeri people.
In turn, the Azerbaijan President sent his greetings and wishes of health and happiness to HH the Emir and his further wishes of progress and prosperity to the Qatari people.
The meeting reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and means of boosting and developing them, and enhancing aspects of co-operation on all fronts, in addition to issues of mutual interest.