OFFICIAL NEWS
STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV
Dear guests!
Let me greet you all in Azerbaijan and say “Welcome!”
As you know this is the first official visit of the President of the Republic of Korea to Azerbaijan. It demonstrates that our ties are quite high-level. I am sure after this visit our relations will continue to develop and cover all spheres.
Today we have had very fruitful talks. We have discussed prospects of development of the bilateral relations; there was a broad discussion of the prospects of cooperation in the fields of politics, economy and culture. I can say that these discussions were very useful. I am sure that after this visit, development of our relations will become more intensive.
We attach a great importance to the bilateral relations. It’s not by chance that the decision has been made recently to open Azerbaijan’s embassy in the Republic of Korea. The documents signed today will serve creation of powerful economic basis, which is, undoubtedly, required to achieve a high standard of political relations. These bilateral documents cover, one might say, all spheres of economy.
Apart form that, a meeting of businessmen of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Korea is planned for today, and I hope after that meeting we will began to work seriously on real, already concrete projects. Energy, transport and infrastructure projects arouse mutual interest, and I hope concrete steps in all of these directions will be taken after this visit.
The Republic of Korea is one of the world’s economically most developed countries; it has achieved great success. At the same time, we know that its first steps, start position were not so easy. However, the Republic of Korea has successfully overcome the path of transition from economic crisis to economic development, its experience is very important, and the modern history of Azerbaijan looks the same. Our past is similar. Azerbaijan too, entered the phase of economic development after it had overcome economic recession. That’s why the experience of the Republic of Korea is, of course, very interesting and important to us. There is every condition for successful cooperation in all fields – there is political will, economic interest, and exchange of opinions on real and concrete projects. I am sure that after this visit, our relations will reach even higher standard. Thank you.