George Deek: New Israeli ambassador tasked with boosting trade and economic ties

Over the past six years, Israel and Azerbaijan have made significant progress in developing bilateral relations, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan George Deek said at his final press briefing before the end of his diplomatic mission, according to Report.

He highlighted that modern Israel-Azerbaijan relations are deeply diversified, covering not only strategic areas like energy and security but also increasingly dynamic business ties.

"The opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tel Aviv in 2023 was an important milestone and a major achievement for relations between the two countries," the diplomat noted.

Deek stressed that his successor, incoming Israeli Ambassador Ronen Kraus, will have a key priority: significantly strengthening trade and economic cooperation.

"I think that $243 million in bilateral trade, excluding oil, is not enough, even though it’s twice the figure from 2021. This number should be multiplied by five or six times for us to truly reach a normal level," he said.

The ambassador also expressed hope for greater participation of Israeli companies in Azerbaijan, especially in large-scale reconstruction and development projects in the Karabakh region.