Russia, Moscow / corr Trend R.Agayev / The Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) is interested in full-scale cooperation in exchange of experience and training of diplomats, Hafiz Pashayev, the rector of the ADA, and Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, said after signing an agreement on cooperation with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Anatoly Torkunov, the Rector of the Moscow University, signed the document on behalf of the Russian side.
Attending the signing ceremony was Polad Bulbuloglu, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia, Leyla Aliyeva, head of the Representation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Russia, President of the Azerbaijani Club of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, as well as teachers and students of the university.
Introducing the eminent guest to the audience Anatioliy Torkunov, the rector of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, announced that he had the honor of visiting Azerbaijan at the invitation of the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and held talks with his Azerbaijani counterparts on further cooperation between the two universities. The academy is young, but actively developing and a well-tended university. "The talks continued in Moscow and there we achieved an agreement in interesting directions of cooperation. We are interested in further cooperation with the Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy," Torkunov said.
Torkunov noted that relations with Azerbaijan are deep in all senses. "Azerbaijani students study here and Azerbaijani is taught here ... I also want to mention that Moscow University has two honorable and respected doctors - Heydar Aliyev, who is not with us unfortunately and the present Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who has been linked to the university his entire life. Based on our special relations we will closely cooperate with the ADA," the rector of the Moscow University stressed.
In turn the rector of the Azerbaijani University said that his counterpart from Moscow was one of the first guests to the new Academy and to address the Azerbaijani students. Speaking on the significance of the Moscow University in the education system, Pashayev said that any young man, and he himself, was keen to receive an education at this prestigious university and it was a privilege. "Today we witness the fruits of this education. The current President of Azerbaijan is a graduate of this University and he is proud of it. Pashayev also appraised the activities of Polad Bulbuloglu, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia. "His major merit is the sincere service to the country," he stressed.
According to Bulbuloglu, the signing of an agreement is a timely and necessary step for training of highly qualified specialists. Azerbaijan experiences serious insufficiency in specialists and though the issue cannot be resolved in a short timeframe, promising steps have been taken, the ADA was established and Pashayev will cope with this task as the rector.
Addressing the students of the Moscow University Pashayev spoke about his activities as the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States. He particularly focused on the activities and priorities of the education at the Academy. He particularly stressed that the training of specialists is very important and significant for the future of the country, which is developing at high speed and occupies a leasing position. "The positive experience of Azerbaijan's oil strategy and policy, pursuing diversification of economy, requires well-trained specialists. Our plans include the establishment of research groups for the entire region and world, because the geopolitical location of Azerbaijan necessitates the involvement in more actual issues of the present. Therefore, we have introduced the Academy not only as a school for diplomats, but also a wide circle for specialists. To achieve this goal, we will actively cooperate with different leading universities of the United States, Europe and other countries, organize short courses and invite well-known diplomats to the university, which is sure to become a center of education for many world countries," Pashayev said.
In reply to questions by students Pashayev paid special attention to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh and the importance of informing the world community about the Azerbaijani truth. He said that 14 years ago when he took the position of Ambassador to the United States, they knew so little about Azerbaijan in this country and what they knew was absolutely wrong. "You know the Armenian Diaspora in the United States an essential factor in relations between Azerbaijan and the United States. Nevertheless, myth about Azerbaijan was dispersed step by step. "I am a live witness of the development of Azerbaijani-US relations and we are satisfied with their level. In 1998 Dr Zbignev Bzhezinskiy said that you can be proud of what you have done for this short period. Now I can state with confidence that the United State has enough information about Azerbaijan and no force can deteriorate it," Pashayev stated.