President Aliyev to visit Brussels, Moscow

In Brussels, Aliyev is going to meet heads of the European Union and NATO to discuss problems of the integration of Azerbaijan into the North Atlantic structures, including Azerbaijan’s involvement into EU's Neighborhood Policy program and cooperation between Azerbaijan and EU in the energy sector. Aliyev will also meet Belgian leaders to discuss development of bilateral contacts, a source from the administration of the Azerbaijanian president told Itar-Tass on Monday.

After visiting Belgium Aliyev will pay a two-day visit to Moscow, the same source said. Over the past three years Moscow and Baku have been actively building up political and economic cooperation. In 2005, trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan exceeded one billion dollars. By the end of 2006 mutual trade is hoped to reach 1.5 billion dollars.

In 2005, Russia held the Year of Azerbaijan in Russia, and in 2006, Azerbaijan was the host of the Year of Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the opening ceremony in Baku in February, 2006. Itar-Tass