Belarusian designers and city planners are ready to take part in the city development concept of Baku, Architecture and Construction Minister of Belarus Anatoly Nichkasov told media in Baku on 8 July.

According to the official, Azerbaijan has signed all necessary documents with the WTO on financing the participation of international institutions in Baku’s city development concept. “A preliminary agreement has been reached upon the participation of Belarusian city planners and designers in the project,” he said.

Besides, the Belarusian side received a request from the resettlement foundation to design a settlement for the victims from natural calamities in Azerbaijan. “The project includes 45 houses, a first-aid post and a school,” the minister said.

According to Anatoly Nichkasov, the Ministry of Architecture and Construction of Belarus and the State Committee for Urban Development of Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of cooperation. This document provides for exchange of regulatory and technical documents and for direct cooperation in planning projects. “We have been working on joint projects for two years. They include our proposals for land planning in the historic downtown near the Baku bay, and general outlay plan,” he said.

Cooperation between Belarus and Azerbaijan in urban planning was discussed during an official visit to Azerbaijan of the government delegation of Belarus headed by Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich. Mikhail Myasnikovich and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade discussed a wide range of issues concerning bilateral cooperation. The sides signed new documents on partnership, including intergovernmental agreements on mutual recognition of education certificates, mutual provision of land plots for diplomatic missions, as well as plan for consultations between the foreign ministries of both countries in 2011.