Italy, Azerbaijan reaffirm commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Italian and Azerbaijani leaders have reaffirmed to continue to deepen collaboration in all sectors of interest, especially in the field of energy, according to an official statement on Thursday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome. The duo discussed a wide-range of issues, including energy and regional developments in the Caucasus region, according to a statement by the Italian government.

During the meeting, Meloni reaffirmed Italy's commitment to the stability and prosperity of the Caucasus region and support for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to achieve lasting peace.

President Meloni highlighted how the role of the EU is an integral part of this path and how cooperation with the EU can open up new opportunities for the entire region, also in terms of connectivity.

At the end of the meeting, Italy’s oil and gas company ENI and Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR signed three Memorandums of Understanding on energy security, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the biofuel production chain.