BAKU, November 18. /TASS/. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is satisfied with the growth of trade turnover with Russia, and he sees prospects for its growth. According to the leader, there is potential in the area of cargo transportation as well.
"We are very glad, of course, that mutual trade is returning to the pre-pandemic level, and I am confident that the dynamics will persist," he said. On Friday, Aliyev welcomed Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who is paying a visit to Baku, at his Zagulba residence near the Caspian Sea. The Azerbaijani president hopes the present talks will facilitate boosting mutual trade.
Cargo shipments are demonstrating good dynamics, he said. "As far as transit transportation is concerned, we are reaching record highs," the president noted. The Azeri leader assured that cooperation in this sector would be increased both bilaterally and with neighboring countries involved. "It will be in the interests of all countries to strengthen the potential of transport corridors, mainly the North-South ones, opening up additional prospects," he emphasized.
Baku believes that the momentum gained in trade and economic relations between the two countries will continue into 2023, Aliyev said, noting that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Russia "had established a good tone and new dynamics to the relationship." The heads of the two states have repeatedly met during the year, and they had another telephone conversation on Thursday, he said. "The presidents set the tone of the whole range of our relations," he concluded.