Details added (first version posted on 13:36)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.8
Trend:
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev greeted Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who arrived in Baku on Apr. 8, and said there is an extensive agenda between Azerbaijan and Russia.
"Your visit will contribute to strengthening the friendly and good neighborly relations between Russia and Azerbaijan," the president told Medvedev. "There is a very extensive agenda to discuss our relations which are developing very dynamically and have reached the strategic partnership level."
The president noted that Medvedev has paid the visit to Azerbaijan during the period of escalation of the situation around the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"Regrettably, the conflict hasn't been resolved throughout many years. We periodically face armed provocations by Armenians," said President Aliyev, adding that another such attempt was made in early April.
"Azerbaijani settlements were shelled, over 400 houses were destroyed," said the president, adding that there are victims among the civilians as well.
Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan had to retaliate to prevent the military provocations and restore ceasefire.
"I would like to express gratitude to Russian leadership for the timely efforts and activities for de-escalation of the situation," he said.
"Russia's President Vladimir Putin made a phone call to me and Armenian president. Moreover, Russia's chief of general staff contacted to the two countries' chiefs of general staffs. A truce was established as a result of the mediation efforts," said the president, adding that nevertheless, the opposing side doesn't always respect the ceasefire.
"I should note that Azerbaijan is committed to the peaceful and political settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the international law and relevant decisions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations," said President Aliyev.
He added that Dmitry Medvedev's visit is also a good opportunity to discuss other issues on the agenda such as the relations in trade, economic, energy, transportation and humanitarian spheres.
He emphasized that the Russian-Azerbaijani relations have a very good dynamics and stand out with friendliness and sincerity.