ARDMORE, Okla. ―Dignitaries from Azerbaijan visited the Sam Noble Foundation in Ardmore on Monday as part of the state partnership between Oklahoma and the eastern European country.

Azerbaijan and Oklahoma were partnered because of their similar economies. Both rely mainly on farming and oil. The country's government officials spoke with consultants at the foundation through a translator Monday.

Members of the delegation are learning new agricultural research and improved farming techniques to take back to their own county, but officials say the partnership and visit will also benefit Carter County residents.

"It will open up some cooperative arraignments through higher education institutions and then from there into the private sector, and hopefully some cooperative agreements in the private sector," Carter County Judge Tom Walker says.

The delegation is set to meet with experts once again at the Sam Noble Foundation on Tuesday and then again later on in the week. They will meet with officials from Oklahoma State University and other area universities.