Boosting business ties between Italy and Azerbaijan was the focus of talks in Rome on Wednesday between foreign minister Luigi Di Maio and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"The meeting was very cordial and offered a useful opportunity to confirm the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries and to prepare for the upcoming visit of State by President Aliyev, scheduled for the beginning of 2020," said a statement.
Di Maio and Mammadyarov's talks centred on bilateral ties, especially economic and trade cooperation and the prospects for increasing the operations of Italian companies in Azerbaijan, "also with a view to redressing the trade balance," said the statement.