Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3
Trend:
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service.
President Putin welcomed President Aliyev. The presidents posed together for photographs.
“Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, dear friends, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you,” President of Russia Vladimir Putin said.
“This time we are meeting in Sochi as part of the international political discussion club, which we call the Valdai Club, because its first meeting was held at Valdai,” he said.
“I would like to begin by saying that I am very happy to see you,” President Putin said. “We have not met for a long time. However, despite a pause in our personal meetings and contacts, relations between our countries have been developing successfully.”
“Trade and economic ties are strengthening,” he said. “Last year, bilateral trade was $2.5 billion. We have good prospects in this field. I am referring to the plans largely designed by the President of Azerbaijan. On our side, we do everything we can to have these projects, large projects, I believe, implemented. The intergovernmental commission is working on this, and I think they are proceeding with confidence.”
“There is a need to discuss the developments in our relations in other areas,” the Russian president said. “I hope we will manage to do all of this today, and I hope you will take part in an interesting general discussion. Thank you very much for coming here today.”
“Vladimir Vladimirovich, thank you very much for your invitation,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said.
“It is a great honour for me to take part in the meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, which is an important international venue today for discussing topical global issues related to the modern world order,” President Aliyev said. “And, of course, thank you for this meeting.”
“As you have noted, we have not met for some time, four months, to be exact,” he added. “This is quite a lot, considering the intensity of our contacts.” “Last year we held four meetings, which played a very positive role and gave a good boost to the development of our relations, which we characterise as a strategic partnership,” the Azerbaijani president said.
“I would also like to note the positive dynamics in trade and the economy,” he added. “Our bilateral trade has been growing both last year and this year. According to our data, trade was up 20 percent by August. The implementation of the roadmaps you and I have adopted will result in closer interaction, integration and cooperation in all areas.”
“For us, Russia is a very important partner, friend, and good neighbour,” the Azerbaijani president said. “We highly value these relations. I am sure that today’s discussion will make a solid contribution to the further development of our ties.”
“Once again, thank you very much for the invitation,” he added.
The presidents discussed the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, cooperation in economic, investment, military, military-technical, agricultural, tourism and humanitarian areas.
Following the meeting of the delegations in an expanded format, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had a private conversation.
