Baku, May 16, AZERTAC

Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held an expanded meeting with Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus.

Addressing the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear Aleksandr Grigoryevich,

Dear guests.

Let me once again welcome you to Azerbaijan. I am very pleased that you have accepted my invitation and are paying a state visit to our country.

We have had a very detailed conversation on many issues of the bilateral agenda, as well as regional and international matters. We have once again confirmed the strategic nature of our relations. We highly value the trusting and creative partnership between our countries, which is based on mutual respect, friendship, and cooperation. The relations are time-tested, and I think that no one would doubt that Belarus and Azerbaijan are two reliable friends. This is the basis of our interstate relations because only in an atmosphere of mutual trust can one move forward confidently, always counting on mutual support in any situation.

Members of our delegations had the opportunity to communicate yesterday, and as far as I know the contacts were also very effective and positive. There are a lot of topics that need to be addressed. Looking at the prospects of our interaction, we are observing huge potential, an increase in trade turnover, and continued expansion of industrial cooperation, and collaboration in agriculture. Of course, we would be glad if Belarusian companies and enterprises participated in the restoration of liberated territories. Members of our delegations have also held discussions on this topic. The composition of delegations also speaks volumes. It speaks a lot about the issues that are on the agenda. But, of course, they are not limited to the issues members of the delegations are responsible for. So our cooperation is quite multidimensional, with a good history and a good future.

I welcome you once again, Aleksandr Grigoryevich. I wish you a pleasant stay in Azerbaijan, which is a friendly country for you.

x x x

President Aleksandr Lukashenko said:

- Ilham Heydarovich, thank you very much. We really have no closed topics. Everything is open. We discuss everything, even if someone hears the issues on our agenda, they might wonder what kind of relations we have. These are the kindest, the closest relations, and we communicate like brothers. We understand the world the same way, and we understand where it is heading. You know, I told you in our one-on-one meeting about Heydar Aliyev. If only he could see how Azerbaijan is developing now. I remembered our conversation before the war, before your war of liberation, when we were philosophizing over lunch, the two of us. We came to the conclusion then that it was possible to win the war. It is important. It is very important to hold on to that victory. But, thirdly, we agreed, and you touched upon this question, that the most difficult time would begin after the war, when it would be necessary to revive the lands that you liberate. To begin the revival. And that hard time has come, when you have to revive these lands, you have to bring people back to their homes. Some have already been born in the city. You have won and you have held on to this victory. Now it is necessary to revive these lands. It takes time, it takes a lot of effort. It is difficult to do it all in five, perhaps even in 10 years.

Therefore, Ilham Heydarovich, if we can help with anything, if we can help by contributing to this. You have enough helpers now, but if we can participate in this on such a friendly basis: with equipment, agro-towns, workplaces. It is possible to resettle and bring people back, but you need housing and jobs. We have certain technologies, and your specialists and ministers know these technologies well. If they are suitable, if our equipment can be present and work here.