Azerbaijan, Baku, March 1/ Trend , E. Tariverdiyeva /
Russian News Agency ITAR-TASS General Director Vitaly Ignatenko congratulated Azerbaijani State News Agency AzerTAj with its 90th anniversary.
"AzerTAj has played a great role in the formation of the Azerbaijani statehood. This agency has become a conductor of the Azerbaijani's people dream of independence," Ignatenko said at the anniversary celebration ceremony in the Young Spectator's Theater.
Ignatenko said that AzerTAj still plays a leading role after Azerbaijan's independence in the 1990 s years.
He stressed the role of AzerTAj in informing people about incidents during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
Today, Azerbaijan is on the way of establishing an independent, democratic and secular state, Ignatenko said.
"AzerTAj is the most important source of information on the life of Azerbaijani for the whole world," Ignatenko said.
According to him, six years ago, he and AzerTaj Director General Aslan Aslanov signed a long-term cooperation agreement.
"I think this agreement is not even long-term, but everlasting. We were faithful to the promises that were given by our president six years ago in the Kremlin," he said.
Ignatenko stressed that now Azerbaijan is represented almost in all international spheres. And Azerbaijani journalists can be heard around the world.
"In 2003, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev helped us in holding the Forum of Russian-speaking media outlets in the country. He talked about the importance of the Russian language and cooperation with Russia's media outlets for Azerbaijan. This wish is still being carried out by the AzerTAj agency," he said.
Ignatenko gave AzerTaj's head a picture of the Kremlin.