BAKU, 15 May (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has come to Azerbaijan on a state visit. The aircraft with the Belarusian head of state on board landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, BelTA has learned.
State flags of Belarus and Azerbaijan were hoisted on flagpoles in front of the government terminal. Military personnel of the honor guard company lined up along a cyan runner carpet in anticipation of the Belarusian head of state.
At the airstair Aleksandr Lukashenko was greeted by First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Yagub Eyyubov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Belarus Maharram Aliyev as well as members of the Belarusian delegation: Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik, and the head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission Andrei Ravkov.
Heads of Belarusian government agencies and enterprises had held negotiations with their Azerbaijani counterparts in Baku in anticipation of the president’s visit. Apart from that, the region’s largest expos Caspian Agro and Interfood Azerbaijan are taking place in Azerbaijan’s capital city these days. Agreements worth $54 million were signed by Belarusian manufacturers during the forum.
The press service of the Belarusian head of state said that in Baku Aleksandr Lukashenko will hold official negotiations with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. A one-on-one meeting will be followed by a larger meeting involving members of the delegations.
According to the source, the presidents are expected to discuss topical matters in Belarus-Azerbaijan relations while focusing on expanding trade and economic ties in various economy branches and on promoting manufacturing cooperation in manufacturing sector and agriculture. Belarus-Azerbaijan cooperation on international platforms and in integration associations will be discussed as well. Aleksandr Lukashenko and Ilham Aliyev will also discuss the situation in the region and the world as a whole. A package of bilateral documents will be signed as a result of the talks.
In Baku Aleksandr Lukashenko and Ilham Aliyev are also expected to attend the international agricultural expo Caspian Agro where they will be made familiar with Belarus’ and Azerbaijan’s expositions and with the realization of joint projects in the sphere of agribusiness.
In 2023 Belarus-Azerbaijan trade exceeded $400 million, with Belarus’ export past $370 million, 77% up from 2022.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Azerbaijan Andrei Ravkov noted: “We exchange woodworking industry products. We sell the entire lineup of products to Azerbaijan starting with longitudinally sawn wood and ending with wallpaper and toilet paper. We maintain manufacturing cooperation ties in mechanical engineering. We work together in oil processing industry (mutual trade in oil refining products). We cooperate in pharmaceutics and food industry. One can also mention tourism, sport, and other humanitarian areas. I mean we have the entire spectrum of mutual relations.”
Certainly, competition on the Azerbaijani market is high: the world’s leading manufacturers sell their products on it. But Andrei Ravkov noted that the conditions are unlikely to change. “Competition will rise all the same. We need to operate in these conditions, improve and offer our products. Everything is in our hands. We have to work,” the head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission stressed.
