The deputy prime minister of Russia, Alexei Overchuk, who was on a working visit to Azerbaijan.on Friday (17 December) met with president Ilham Aliyev in Baku.
According to the Azerbaijani readout of the meeting, the sides discussed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries in all areas, with a particular emphasis on trade and the potential for the future expansion of economic cooperation. The statement added that Overchuk’s visit “provided a good opportunity to discuss the results of the year on economic cooperation”.
The two reportedly recalled the meeting between Aliyev and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in Sochi, and discussed the opening of communications through the activities of the trilateral commission at the level of the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Finally, they exchanged views on prospects for developing relations between Russia and Azerbaijan
During another meeting in Baku yesterday, Overchuk announced that Azerbaijan could benefit from having an observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union. Responding to a question about this today, the press secretary for the ministry of foreign affairs of Armenia, Vahan Hunanyan, announced that at the moment, there was no application for any state to receive an observer status. He added that the issue of granting this status would require a consensus decision, “which is preceded by consultations within the EEU to determine the economic expediency of this step”.