Minister Paavo Väyrynen to make an export promotion visit to Azerbaijan

Press release 373/2008
6 October, 2008

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit Azerbaijan on 7-9 October in order to promote exports and internationalisation. The minister will be accompanied by a business delegation with some 20 members representing, for instance, energy technology, environmental and biotechnologies, telecommunications, and industry manufacturing machinery and equipment. The business delegation will be chaired by Director Christoph Vitzthum from Wärtsilä.

In Azerbaijan, Mr Väyrynen will have talks with Minister of Economic Development Heydar Babayev and other ministers representing various sectors. In addition to exploring the opportunities for economic and trade cooperation, the other topics to be discussed in the meetings at the ministerial level include the bilateral relations between the countries, relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, current WTO affairs, and the regional questions of Central Asia. In addition, Mr Väyrynen will give a speech at a business seminar organised during his visit.

Further information: Roving Ambassador Petri Salo, Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, tel. +358 9 1605 5532, Advisor to the Minister Päivi Nevala, tel. +358 9 1605 6171