Swiss president begins visit to Azerbaijan to boost energy dialogue

BAKU, March 14 (Itar-Tass) - Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey began her three-day visit to Azerbaijan on Sunday to discuss stronger bilateral cooperation and regional ties.
According to diplomatic sources, early on Monday Calmy-Rey will hold one-to-one talks with her Azerbaijani counterpart Ilkham Aliyev. Later in the day the presidents will participate in an expanded meeting of the two countries' delegations.
The Swiss and Azerbaijani leaders are expected to discuss the whole range of bilateral issues, including a deeper political dialogue and expansion of economic ties. In particular, the two countries had repeatedly expressed their intention to boost energy cooperation.
Moreover, Azerbaijan is interested in the influx of Swiss investments into the country's oil sector, mainly in science intensive and high-tech areas.
The presidents will also touch upon cooperation in the banking and
financial sectors. During her stay in Azerbaijan Micheline Calmy-Rey will meet with Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and parliamentary speaker Oktai Asadov.
The Swiss president will make her trip to Nakhichevan, the autonomous republic in the country's southwest to hold meetings with the local authorities, visit industrial enterprises and go on a sightseeing tour.
This is the Swiss president's second visit to Azerbaijan since its
independence. In May 2008 then president Pascal Couchepin visited Baku.