Maria Zakharova to "Vestnik Kavkaza": we attach great importance to the development of regional ties with Azerbaijan

Today Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova commented for Vestnik Kavkaza on the visit of a representative delegation of the Astrakhan region, headed by the Governor Igor Babushkin, to Azerbaijan, stressing that Moscow welcomes the strengthening of ties between Russian regions and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"According to our estimates, the visit was very successful. The head of the region was received by the President of Azerbaijan and the Minister of Economy, the opening ceremony of the Astrakhan business center took place in Baku, the Azerbaijani side was represented at this ceremony by the Deputy Prime Minister of the country. Following the visit, a program of measures to develop cooperation between the government of the Astrakhan region and the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the next 2022 was signed," she said first of all.

Maria Zakharova stressed the importance of ties between Russian regions and neighboring countries for Moscow. "We attach great importance, as you know, to the development of interregional ties with other countries and the development of border ties of our regions, in particular, with Azerbaijan", the diplomat said.

"Trade and economic cooperation with this country is supported by 73 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and 18 of them have agreements with Azerbaijan on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The site of the Russian-Azerbaijan Regional Forum is in great demand. Next year it should be held in Azerbaijan for the 11th time," Maria Zakharova concluded.