Assa-Irada,
5, May 2008

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the King of Jordan signed a joint declaration in conclusion of a meeting held in Baku on Monday as Abdullah II started his official visit to the South Caucasus republic.

The two leaders stressed the successful development of bilateral relations in a variety of fields and vast opportunities available to further expand ties during the talks at the president's state residence in the Zagulba settlement, 40 km north of Baku.

The declaration said that in connection with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Jordan, the two countries welcomed the rapidly developing and deepening relations in recent years.

"This is manifested in mutual visits by top-level officials, the opening of embassies in the capitals of the two countries, organization of regular flights between Amman and Baku, and the intensifying efforts aimed at strengthening and broadening economic, political and cultural relations between the two countries," it said.

Azerbaijan and Jordan hailed the conduct of various economic and trade events, including the Jordanian trade exhibition due in the Azerbaijani capital on Tuesday, as well as the exchange of visits by business delegations and accelerating cooperation between the two countries' private sectors.

President Aliyev and King Abdullah II called on entrepreneurs to capitalize on lucrative political relations, legal and institutional framework as well as emerging opportunities in the field of transport to boost trade and economic exchanges. The sides also welcomed the signing of the agreements on lifting double taxation and the promotion of investments on the same day.

The two leaders also agreed to continue cooperation in the fields of oil and gas exploration, transport, agriculture, education and the services sector.

They also underscored the importance of stepping up the United Nations' role in the resolution of international conflicts.

The two stressed the rising threat of aggressive separatism, expressing concern over the arms trade and human trafficking, drug trafficking and other crimes committed by separatist regimes that jeopardize international security and stability, and urged the world community to take action to counter these illegal activities.

The two countries reaffirmed the unacceptability of the use of force or attempts to threaten with the use of force in a bid to alter the internationally-recognized borders of states. Azerbaijan and Jordan indicated that the resolution on the situation in the occupied Azerbaijani territories recently passed at the UN General Assembly will facilitate a negotiated settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, stressing the importance of swiftly resolving dispute within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and inviolability of its borders.

A business forum and an exhibition will be organized by Jordan's Chamber of Industry during the King's three-day visit.

The Azerbaijani-Jordanian commodities turnover made up $1.291 million, or less than 1 per cent of Azerbaijan's overall foreign trade, in 2007.

Abdullah II previously visited Baku in August 2006. President Aliyev further paid an official visit to the kingdom in July 2007 during which the two countries signed 15 agreements.