According to the schedule provided by President Parvanov`s press service, he is leaving for Azerbaijan Wednesday, where on Thursday he is going to have meetings with top Azerbaijani officials over energy, economic, and trade cooperation. In March 2008, Bulgaria's President had a three-day visit to Azerbaijan. This was followed by a visit of the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Mamedyarov to Sofia in April, and a visit by Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Minister Dimitrov in June. Securing Azerbaijani natural gas for the EU-sponsored Nabucco gas transit pipeline has been the main topic of the extremely intensive Bulgaria-Azerbaijan contacts in the past year.
Between January 25 and January 29, Bulgaria's President is going to have a four-day visit to Japan. Parvanov and the Bulgarian First Lady Zorka Parvanov will be welcomed by the Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.After his trip to Japan, Bulgaria's President is heading straight to Vietnam, where he will be on a visit from January 29 until January 30 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet.