Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived yesterday (14.12.16) in Azerbaijan for an official visit. Netanyahu, who was the first Prime Minister to visit the Muslim nation some 20 years ago, met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in the presidential palace in Baku. During Netanyahu’s visit agreements to promote economic, scientific technological, healthcare, agriculture and trade cooperation were signed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a joint press conference with his the Azeri President, revealed that beyond the already significant import of oil from Azerbaijan to Israel, Jerusalem is also considering the option of using joint installations to export natural gas. “We have so much so many areas where we are cooperating in cooperate can complain to benefit our peoples we obviously have a robust relationship in energy now we’re talking about not just the same as a foil from Azerbaijan to Israel which is very important part of our oil imports we’re talking about using common facilities for export of gas linking of Israel’s gas exports potentially two great pipeline that is being built as we speak right now from Azerbaijan,” Netanyahu said.
President Aliyev revealed in his comments the scope of defense trade between the two countries, which includes some five billion dollars. According to various reports, Israel is going to sell Azerbaijan an Iron Dome battery, while Baku has also voiced an interest in purchasing the David Sling missile defense system. “We actively cooperate in the area of defense industries and this corporation last all ready for many years I just bring you one figures to illustrate how brought this corporation is so far as the contracts between Azerbaijan and Israeli companies with respect of purchasing of dispensing equipment is close to five billion dollars to be present more precisely four billion 850 million dollars biggest part of these contracts have already been executed and steals we’re continuing to work on that and we are very satisfied with the level of these corporation,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader also took the opportunity to note the fact that the cooperation between the two countries should be highlighted as an example of cooperation between Jews and Muslims, a reality that should shine as a beacon of tolerance and hope. “Israel is the Jewish state it’s a Jewish Azerbaijan is a muslim state predominantly Muslim population here you have an example of Muslims Jews working together to secure a better future for for both of us and it’s an example that shines against the background of intolerance and lack of acceptance and mutual respect,” Netanyahu said.