Representative of the Economic Development Ministry of Azerbaijan: "Indicative program designed for Azerbaijan does not envision any financial agreement"

Asker Alekperov, chief of department for foreign investments and coordination of technical aid under Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economic Development, commented on the statement of Ilgar Mamedov, one of the founders of the Azerbaijan National Public Committee for European Integration, regarding the refusal of the Azerbaijani government to accept EUR 93 million, allocated by the European Union for 2007-2010 in the framework of the policy of European neighborhood.

Alekperov announced that the discussions on the development of the Indicative program on Azerbaijan for 2007-2010 started between the European commission and the government of Azerbaijan in the framework of the European Neighborhood Partnership Institute (ENPI) at the end of 2006.

He said, according to the plan of actions, signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan in the framework of the European neighborhood, the European commission sent a preliminary draft Indicative program for 2007-2010 to Azerbaijan in mid 2007.

"The government of Azerbaijan has sent references and proposals connected with the said program to the European commission. after considering them, the European commission sent the final version of the indicative program to Azerbaijan in December this year. The European commission and Azerbaijan agreed to sign a memorandum of mutual understanding to ratify the said program in January of 2008", the chief of department noted.

Alekperov said the indicative program on Azerbaijan for 2007-2010 is a framework document and the total volume of its aid makes up EUR 92 million.

"This program does not envision any financial agreement. Yet, separate programs of actions to reflect definite projects will be worked out on basis of this indicative program every year for signing agreements on financing. The budget of the program of actions, covering 2007, totals EUR 19 million and the trends of this program have already been coordinated", he said.

Alekperov noted that the European commission will present a financial agreement on the program to the government of Azerbaijan in early 2008.

/Day.Az/

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