The Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Security and Multilateral Affairs Araz Beyukaga Oglu Azimov recently visited Mexico to meet with Undersecretary Lourdes Aranda. The aim of the visit was to strengthen the ties between Azerbaijan and Mexico, Trend news agency reported. During their meeting, both officials reviewed various bilateral issues, especially the agreements reached during the September 2008 meeting in New York between Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa and Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. They also discussed the progress made towards various political and cooperation goals agreed on during the first regular Mexico-Azerbaijan political consultation that was held in Baku in March 2008 and co-chaired by Aranda and the then deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan, Khalaf Khalafov. During his visit, Azimov and Aranda chaired the inaugural ceremony of the embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico, affirming the interest of the Azerbaijani government in promoting friendship ties and cooperation with Mexico and in making it more dynamic. Among other activities, the Azerbaijan official also gave a conference entitled Azerbaijan and Regional Security in the Foreign Ministry. Aranda stressed the advantage of working together with the public and private sectors of both countries to increase economic exchanges and trade and to identify investment opportunities. She noted that Azerbaijan had economic potential in the energy and oil sectors which, combined with the fact that it is currently modernizing and opening its economy, will entice Mexican businesses. The sides also agreed to give impetus to high-level governmental visits, to strengthen the binational legal framework by implementing the current agreements and concluding the instruments that are currently being negotiated; to encourage more use of the scholarships offered by the Mexican government to Azerbaijani students and exchanges between the diplomatic academies of both countries.