Azerbaijan ready for active co-op with Afghanistan in any field – President Aliyev

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 2

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Dec. 1, who was on a working visit in Baku.

President Aliyev welcomed his Afghan counterpart, and the two presidents posed together for photographs. Then the presidents held a meeting in an expanded format with the participation of delegations.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on his own behalf, President Aliyev congratulated President Ashraf Ghani on his victory in the elections, and wished him success in his activities.

"This visit is a sign of our cooperation and friendship, and I`m sure that we will continue our cooperation in all areas," President Aliyev said.

The president noted that the two countries enjoyed excellent political ties.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Afghanistan have always supported each other in international organizations.

"There are ample opportunities for economic cooperation, the trade is increasing, and there are good dynamics in this field," President Aliyev said.

Expressing hope that after this visit additional measures will be taken to enhance economic cooperation in trade, investment, energy and other fields, President Aliyev noted that educational cooperation between the two countries also was of great importance.

"We are ready to actively cooperate in every field, because Afghanistan is our brotherly country and our peoples for centuries have lived in an atmosphere of peace and friendship," President Aliyev said.

The president stressed the necessity of using all opportunities for a further expansion of cooperation between the two countries. President Aliyev expressed confidence that the visit of the Afghan president to Azerbaijan will yield good results.

President Ashraf Ghani expressed gratitude for the hospitality shown to him and the delegation.

"First of all, I congratulate you on the occasion of Azerbaijan`s grandiose achievements," President Ashraf Ghani said.

The Afghan president noted that the changes taking place in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev were exemplary. Saying that Afghanistan wants to cooperate with Azerbaijan on various fronts, President Ashraf Ghani expressed his country`s desire to study reforms implemented in Azerbaijan in order to diversify economy.

"I once again congratulate you as you made Azerbaijan`s oil based economy, a very rich and diversified economy," President Ashraf Ghani said.

President Ashraf Ghani hailed the Azerbaijani servicemen's contribution to peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. The Afghan president also thanked President Aliyev for Azerbaijan`s making investments in Afghanistan.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The presidents also discussed regional cooperation, as well as prospects for collaboration in investment, energy, construction, agricultural, educational, cultural and other fields.

Then President Aliyev, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah continued the talk at a tea table.