Baku News

November 20, 2006 Azertag.az - President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev attended November 20 the Azerbaijan-United Arab Emirates Business Forum held at the Chamber of Commerce in Abu Dhabi. In his opening speech, head of the department at the Chamber of Commerce Jamal Mehdi thanked Ilham Aliyev for attending the forum. Minister of Economy and Planning Mrs. Sheikha Lubna bin Khalid Al Qasimi and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Saleh Salem bin Omeir Al Shamsi addressed the forum. They said President Ilham Aliyev's visit to UAE would give impetus to the economic ties between the two countries and urged UAE businessmen to invest in Azerbaijan. Mrs. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi stated that UAE support Azerbaijan's membership to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and stressed the possibility to do business in tourism, infrastructure and other sectors in Azerbaijan. Later, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered speech at the forum. The Head of State said that after national leader Heydar Aliyev's coming to power in 1993, his right policy led the country to the way of development and today, Azerbaijan is the world's fastest growing economy. Mr. Ilham Aliyev pointed out that there are favorable investment milieu and good conditions for the expansion of economic-trade relations between Azerbaijan and UAE. On government's care about the private sector, he noted that new opportunities for cooperation between two countries' businesspersons would be also created. President Aliyev emphasized that every condition would be created for UAE companies to operate in Azerbaijan, and invited the UAE businessmen to the country. Official visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the United Arab Emirates is underway.