Sergei Lavrov to hold talks with Elmar Mammadyarov in Moscow

The foreign ministers of Russia and Azerbaijan, Sergei Lavrov and Elmar Mammadyarov, will hold talks in Moscow. During the upcoming meeting they will discuss bilateral relations as well as settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

 

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister is on an official visit to Russia from May 24 to 26. The agenda of his stay in Russia also includes meetings with the chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.Regarding issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that "it is noteworthy to say that the OSCE Minsk Group can help, "lean on shoulders" propose options for interchanges.The very same settlement does not depend on the mediators and the parties to the conflict," TASS cited the ministry as saying.The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that bilateral trade between Russia and Azerbaijan had grown 12% this year compared to the same period in 2014 and that measures had been taken to increase Azerbaijani exports of agricultural products to Russia.According to the statement of Russia’s Southern Military District, the Caspian Flotilla and ships of Azerbaijan will take part in a joint naval exercise in September.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister is on an official visit to Russia from May 24 to 26. The agenda of his stay in Russia also includes meetings with the chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

Regarding issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that "it is noteworthy to say that the OSCE Minsk Group can help, "lean on shoulders" propose options for interchanges.The very same settlement does not depend on the mediators and the parties to the conflict," TASS cited the ministry as saying.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that bilateral trade between Russia and Azerbaijan had grown 12% this year compared to the same period in 2014 and that measures had been taken to increase Azerbaijani exports of agricultural products to Russia.

According to the statement of Russia’s Southern Military District, the Caspian Flotilla and ships of Azerbaijan will take part in a joint naval exercise in September.

 

The head of the Mediterranean-Black Sea Center of t Institute of Europe of the RAS, Alla Yazykova, expects that, in addition to the traditional Russian-Azerbaijani diplomatic agenda, the ministers will devote their talks to the agreement of positions on such an important issue as the growth of terrorist activity in the Middle East.

 

"There certainly will be talk about the problem of Islamic State and other terrorist organizations, the plans of Russia and Azerbaijan to counter them. Also, I think the ministers will discuss the gas issue: the Turkish Stream project is experiencing difficulties with implementation, Russia would like to fix it, and Azerbaijan plays a key role here. The gas projects are now a priority for Turkey, but it is in no hurry to sign a contract with Russia – Baku could help to resolve this problem," Alla Yazkova said.

 

Earlier, the deputy head of the Federation Council of Russia, Ilyas Umakhanov, told Vestnik Kavkaza what Russian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians will discuss at the meeting.

 

"There are not so many questions on the agenda, so we have agreed that we will not discuss new problems, but will try to go deep. Therefore, the first and main issue is the monitoring of decisions taken earlier at our parliamentary commission and within the intergovernmental commission headed by the Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin," Ilyas Umakhanov said.

 

"The second major theme is related to the scientific and technical cooperation of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. Our economies can quite successfully complement each other, there is a significant potential in Azerbaijan, and the scientific and technical potential of Russia is beyond doubt. So we need to create legislation which motivates scientists, specialists and experts of our countries to cooperate, to develop innovative projects," the senator said.