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BAKU: Baku, Tokyo Sign Co-Op Deals During Aliyev's Visit

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  • BAKU: Baku, Tokyo Sign Co-Op Deals During Aliyev's Visit

    BAKU, TOKYO SIGN CO-OP DEALS DURING ALIYEV'S VISIT

    AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
    March 16 2006

    Azerbaijan and Japan signed three agreements in conclusion of President
    Ilham Aliyev's official visit to this country on Friday.

    The documents concluded at Aliyev's meeting with the Japanese Prime
    Minister Junichiro Koizumi included a joint declaration on future
    development of friendship and cooperation, as well as an agreement
    on technical interaction and a program on collaboration between the
    two countries' foreign ministries.

    Koizumi told a joint news conference following the signing ceremony
    that Azerbaijan and Japan adhere to common positions on all issues.

    Official Baku supports Japan on the issue of permanent membership
    at the United Nations, while Tokyo supports the inviolability of
    Azerbaijan's territorial integrity with regard to the Upper (Nagorno)
    Garabagh conflict it faces with Armenia, Koizumi said. The prime
    minister emphasized that Azeri economic growth has reached 26%,
    which is at least ten times over the figure observed in his country.

    President Aliyev said his discussions with the Japanese official
    focused on issues of regional security, stability and the Garabagh
    conflict. He said Azerbaijan has extensive plans to further move
    forward its economic development and intends to closely cooperate with
    the Oriental nation in this area. Addressing Japan's Institute of
    International Affairs, Aliyev said any attempts to impose democracy
    could have serious consequences. "Exporting democracy does not
    work. This must be an evolutionary and transitional process.

    Democratic development should be based on the realities of society,
    while attempts to export democracy only lead to social and political
    problems, and the disruption of stability." The Azeri leader met on
    Friday with the heads of Japan's Itochu and Inpex oil companies and
    the president of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. The
    foreign investors indicated that Azerbaijan is a very attractive
    country and pledged to further deepen their ties with it. Aliyev also
    held talks with Emperor Akihito. This was the first visit by an Azeri
    leader to Japan since 1998 when former president Heydar Aliyev visited
    this country.

    Non-oil co-op prospects Regional development is a priority direction
    for Azerbaijan and the country is aspiring to Japanese companies'
    involvement in the process, President Aliyev said. Addressing a
    Japanese-Azeri business forum in Tokyo, Aliyev emphasized that
    Japanese companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars
    in the country's energy sector, but there are good opportunities
    for cooperation in other fields as well. "There is a need to
    apply new technologies to develop various spheres of the non-oil
    sector. We would very much like for Japanese companies to be
    involved in introducing them," the president said. Touching upon the
    implementation of large-scale investment programs in agriculture,
    education and healthcare in 2006, Aliyev called on Japan's companies
    to participate in these activities as well. He also underscored the
    need for a more active realization of technical assistance and other
    programs in Azerbaijan by the Japanese government. Representatives
    of some 30 Azeri and 100 Japanese companies attended the forum. The
    two countries' entrepreneurs signed two agreements on cooperation in
    conclusion of the event. One of them, reached by Azerbaijan's Karvan-L
    company engaged in producing paints and roofing slate, envisions the
    export of paints worth $1 million to Japan. New technologies will
    be brought from Japan under another document signed by Azerbaijan's
    Khazar joint-stock company.

    An exhibition of local products was also organized during the forum,
    attended by local companies operating in information technologies,
    the banking sector, business consulting, agriculture and other fields.
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