The visit of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to Baku demonstrated a high level of relations between two countries. The Council of Presidents established by Ukraine and Azerbaijan is an effective mechanism of cooperation in all spheres of cooperation, Yanukovych believes. The third session of the Council was heldin Baku.
It was President Yanukovich's first time in Baku. The key theme of the session was the economy. By the end of 2010 the countries had already reached the level of cooperation they had before the world financial crisis.
According to the national statistics of Azerbaijan, turnover in 2010 between Azerbaijan and Ukraine amounted to $1.354 billion. In 2010, in comparison with 2009, imports to Azerbaijan from Ukraine fell by 9%, while exports to Ukraine grew by a factor of 4.8. As a result, Ukraine became the second main trading partner of Azerbaijan in the CIS after Russia.
Azerbaijan mainly exports oil. From Ukraine it imports metal and engineering industries, aviation and radio- and electrical-engineering products. 36 Ukrainian companies operate in Azerbaijan today. In Ukraine, Azeri SOCAR’s Energy Ukraine functions.
The role of SOCAR was particularly emphasised. SOCAR is developing a fuel station network in Ukraine. It has already bought 15 fuel stations. Oil transit through Ukraine is a new factor which has increased turnover between the countries.
Yevgeny Krishtalev. Exclusively to VK
