A preliminary meeting of the State Commission on Delimitation and Demarcation of the state border between Azerbaijan and Russia was held in the Russian city of Makhachkala was held on 11 July at the conference hall of the Dagestan Government, RIA Dagestan reports.
Participating on behalf of Russia was Alexander Yakovenko, the Ambassador on special charge of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as well as the Chairman of the State Commission, the first Deputy Chairman of the Government of Dagestan, Gitinomagomed Hajimagomedov, and the Deputy Chairman of the State Commission, Eduard Urazayev, the Minister for National Policy, Information and Foreign Relations, Magomed Tinomagomedov, the Military Commissar of Dagestan.
Khalaf Khalafov, the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, Garib Mammadov, the Chairman of the State Commission on Lands and Cartography, Oruj Zalov, the Deputy Interior Minister, also a member of the Commission, Eyvaz Jafarov, Head of the Central Operative Management and Battle Training, the First Deputy Chief of the General Headquarters of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and other senior officials represented Azerbaijan in the talks.
In his opening remarks the first deputy chairman of the Government of Dagestan, Gitinomagomed Hajimagomedov, said that a tremendous amount of work had been done, whilst there were three disputable sections still awaiting to be coordinated. "We will most probably maintain the universal international standards and try to solve all issues at the meeting of the State Commission," he added.
Addressing the meeting, Khalafov said that Dagestan is not only one of the major strategic neighbors of Azerbaijan. Our two nations are historically interrelated through friendly ties. Our key task is to consolidate mutual relations between the nations and create necessary terms for their development," he noted.
Khalafov noted the Russian-Azerbaijani relations are of a strategic nature. One can notice there are no limitations or restrictions between Azerbaijan and Russia.
The goods turnover between the two countries comprises $1.5bln. This may increase. "We are glad to see further progress of relations in all spheres of our activities. We are glad that Mahachkala hosts the next meeting of the Commission,' he emphasized. Much work has been done. Almost 92% of the entire borderline has been delimited to the level of the State Commission. "There is only 8% of the total borderline, or 3 sections, where certain proximity in the positions is observed. I hope for their unification through joint aspirations," the Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister stated.
At the end of his speech Khalafov noted that Dagestan is an essential part of bilateral state relations. Azerbaijan and Russia are doing everything possible to make this bridge of mutual relations more secure," he stressed
The chairman of the commission, Ambassador on special charges of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Aleksander Yakovenko, said that Azerbaijan and Russia have no reason to delay the work of the State Commission on Delimitation and Demarcation of the State Border. He also voiced his hope that all terms will be offered in this respect. Furthermore, he expressed his hope that the organizational problems which appeared between the two sides would not be a hindrance in bringing mutual relations even closer.
Work of the 13th session of the State Commission on Delimitation and demarcation of the state border between Azerbaijan and Russia is to begin on 12 July. The parties are keen on funding a mutual understanding and agreement on issues concerning delimitation of the state border between the two countries.