(Read the article in full on Report.az)

“Italy for us is a close friend and partner,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a conference entitled ‘New Vision for South Caucasus: Post-Conflict Development and Cooperation’ at ADA University on April 13, Report said.

“We are very grateful to Italy for their straightforward, just approach with respect to the resolution of the conflict, which we know that was not easy to articulate, especially in the European Union family where there are very strong, powerful Armenian supporters.

“Our political relations are excellent. During the conflict and in post-war period, the visit of the Italian delegation to the liberated territories is considered by us as another sign of support.

“I can tell you that from the very first day of plans for reconstruction, we invited Italian companies through the Italian embassy,” the president said, according to the news organisation.

He noted that Italian companies implemented big projects in Azerbaijan in various spheres.

“We want to expand the presence of Italian companies,” the president added, according to Report.

He said Italian companies were invited to participate in the project of museums and war memorials. The president added that another area in which Italian companies have already been invited is power generation.