Turkey, Azerbaijan to boost cooperation in agriculture

By Ruslan Rehimov

BAKU (AA) -- Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli met his Azerbaijani counterpart Inam Karimov in capital Baku during his official visit on Monday.

The two ministers discussed the current cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan in the field of agriculture, and exchanged views to further bilateral relations.

Following the meeting, Pakdemirli and Karimov signed a cooperation protocol on agricultural insurance.

Turkey aims to improve cooperation with Azerbaijan, Pakdemirli told the reporters.

He said Turkey ranks first in Europe, and the seventh country in the world in the field of agriculture, adding: "We want to share our experience with brotherly Azerbaijan."

On the current trade volume between the two countries in agriculture, Pakdemirli said it -- not at the desired level -- should be increased.

Karimov, for his part, said that the agricultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, as in all areas, set an example of cooperation.

The ministers also set the ways for cooperation in agricultural training and insurance, planting and livestock, he added.

Later in the day, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev received Pakdemirli.

In a statement, the Azerbaijani presidency said quoting Aliyev that friendship and brotherhood between Turkey and Azerbaijan were improving in all fields and agriculture had a great potential to extend cooperation.

For his part, Pakdemirli stressed the importance of Azerbaijan-Turkey Business Forum, which will be held on Tuesday, to boost ties between the two countries.

Pakdemirli also met Azerbaijan’s Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mukhtar Babayev.