President Shimon Peres, heading a delegation of three Cabinet ministers and some 60 leading Israeli businesspeople, is on his way to the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan for a first-ever visit of such senior Israeli officials. The President’s Office reported that the visit is designed to “strengthen and broaden the strategic, diplomatic and economic ties” with the two Moslem countries. Azerbaijan lies north of Iran, and Kazakhstan is further to the northeast, bordering on China. Taking part in the visit are Industry and Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor), Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau (Israel Our Home), and Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz (Jewish Home), as well as Defense Ministry Director Pinchas Buchris. Joining them are 60 representatives of leading Israeli companies in the fields of communications, water technology, agriculture, medical equipment and more. Ben-Eliezer said about the visit, “The objective is to kick-off cooperation between our companies and those in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and to advance as many business opportunities as possible.” As a former Infrastructures Minister, Ben-Eliezer has visited the two countries in the past: “I discovered a wonderful and warm people, with a developed economy and vast knowledge. We have instituted business ties in the field of energy, mainly oil; we are trying to purchase natural gas as well. Economic ties between our countries have tremendous potential in many other areas as well.” Peres to Meet With Jewish Communities President Peres, for his part, in addition to his meetings with the countries’ political leaders, is expected to meet with hundreds of members of the Jewish communities in the two countries. He will dedicate a new synagogue in Kazakhstan, where 15,000 Jews reside; 10,000 live in Almaty, the largest Jewish center. Some 10,000 Jews reside in Azerbaijan, though their religious freedom is somewhat more restricted than in Kazakhstan. Interfaith Conference Speech Peres will also deliver a major speech at an interfaith conference in Kazakhstan, in front of hundreds of Moslem leaders from the Middle East and around the world, the Chief Rabbis of Israel, and the leader of Qatar. The event is under the auspices of the government of Kazakhstan and the Euro-Asiatic Jewish Congress. Peres will also address hundreds of Muslim students at the University of Azerbaijan for Languages, and will answer their questions. Muslim Opposition Some Islamic elements in Azerbaijan are predictably opposed to the visit. The Supreme Council of the Islamic Party demands the cancellation of the visit by the “leader of the criminal Zionist regime,” which “will damage Azerbaijan's international image as a Muslim state and will be an insult to the Islamic world.” The Jerusalem Post reports that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry blames “meddling by neighboring Iran” for the statement. Israel-Azerbaijan trade in Q1 of 2009 totaled $42 million, up 19% from the same period the year before. The toal for 2008 was $129 million, up 56% from the year before. Israeli exports to Kazakhstan totaled $159 million in 2008, up 60% from 2007. Imports to Israel stood at only $3.4 million.
