Baku, February 24, AZERTAC

Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, made press statements.

The President of Azerbaijan made the statement first.

Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear Mr. Prime Minister, my dear brother,

Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Once again, my dear brother, welcome to Azerbaijan. It's a big honor and privilege to have the opportunity to see you and to talk to you. I am very glad that our regular contacts have led to a closer partnership relations between the two brotherly countries.

Mr. Prime Minister visited us last year and in 2023, and I visited Pakistan on a state visit last year, and today my dear brother is in Azerbaijan on a state visit.

So, this dynamic actually demonstrates the close ties between our countries. Today, we discussed very important issues of our bilateral agenda, once again stress the importance of the close partnership between our countries, reaffirm the strategic importance of our cooperation for both countries, the peoples of our countries, and the regions we represent.

As two brotherly countries, we will continue to support each other on all issues of international relations. We support each other on issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries. We actively cooperate within international institutions and always support each other in all organizations where we participate.

Today, my dear brother and I also discussed numerous issues on today’s international agenda. Our positions and views on the current development of international relations fully coincide. We devoted a substantial part of our discussions to our trade and economic sector and also jointly expressed our regret that our trade turnover is only several tens of millions of U.S. dollars. So, we need to increase our trade turnover, and I think that we have the way how to do it - especially taking into account the plans of Azerbaijan to invest up to two billion U.S. dollars in Pakistan's economy, which actually was announced by me during my state visit to Pakistan last summer. Several months ago, we received concrete projects from the Pakistani side, and Azerbaijani representatives are evaluating them.

Today, with my brother, we set, I think, very ambitious but, at the same time, realistic targets to finalize all the discussions within one month and, by the beginning of April, prepare documents for signing. These projects cover infrastructure development areas, as well as energy, mining, and maybe some others.

The agreements that were signed today are not limited only to the ceremony we just witnessed now. Many agreements have already been signed in different audiences. So, the total number of agreements signed during the visit of Mr. Prime Minister is more than 10. They will really create a good framework for future cooperation. With our investment plans, I'm sure we will also witness an increase in our trade turnover.

Today, among the issues which we discussed, an important part was devoted to cooperation in the defense area, including in the area of the defense industry. Azerbaijan has already acquired defense industry equipment from Pakistan, and we are very satisfied with the quality of this equipment and we will continue to do it definitely. At the same time, we also discussed opportunities for joint manufacturing of defense industry items, which will be another important sector of our cooperation. We know that Pakistan has a very developed defense industry. Azerbaijan is also developing its potential. We already export defense industry products to more than 30 countries. With the joint manufacturing, I think the geography of our supplies—export supplies—will definitely grow.

Another important sector we discussed is connectivity and transportation. I informed Mr. Prime Minister about our plans, about the contracts and agreements we signed in order to increase the capacity of Azerbaijan's transportation infrastructure, which is an integral part of international transportation corridors. Azerbaijan actively participates in both the North-South and East-West corridors. This is, of course, an important element of connectivity and transportation, economic development, and also political stability. Because when countries, which are situated close to each other, are involved in this kind of multinational cooperation format, of course, the situation becomes more predictable in our regions. That is also an important factor for regional stability.

Today, we reconfirmed our strong brotherly ties. Pakistan, for us, is one of the closest friends and brothers. People-to-people contacts have also developed successfully. We've been informed about the growing number of visitors from both sides. With regular airline connections, I'm sure the number will grow. We will see even more interaction between representatives of our societies.

Once again, my dear brother, thank you for accepting my invitation to pay a state visit to Azerbaijan. I wish you further success in your activities as the leader of the country. Your vision and the reforms you implement really demonstrate not only your will, but also bring important results in the economic area, political stability, the potential of Pakistan as a global actor on the international arena. All of this is the result of your hard work and the work of your team. We, as your brothers and friends, are really happy and proud of the achievements of Pakistan under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Sharif. As your brothers, we'll be with you on all our future plans and endeavors. Once again, welcome.

X X X

Then, the Prime Minister of Pakistan made the statement.

Statement by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif

- Thank you very much, my very dear brother, President Ilham Aliyev,

Honorable members of the Azerbaijani and Pakistani delegations, ladies and gentlemen.

Assalamualaikum, and a very good afternoon.

My dear brother President, thank you very much for inviting us to your great country and brotherly country, Azerbaijan. Ever since we landed here, since last night, we have enjoyed every moment of our stay. It has not only been very comfortable, but also very productive and useful. The beautiful city of Baku, in summer, is a treat to watch with its greenery, landscape, and horticulture. Thank you very much for dispatching your delegation to Islamabad, who are now beautifying a beautiful Islamabad, which has its natural beauty. It is sitting on the edge of the mountains, and it is a very beautiful city being made more beautiful and attractive by your team. Thank you very much. Here in Baku, the city is now covered with a white blanket, which is itself another level of comfort.

Your Excellency, today our discussions have been very productive and very useful and reflect the deep spirit of our brotherhood and our fraternal relations. You have been a great supporter of Pakistan. You love the people of Pakistan. You have demonstrated your words through your actions over the period of time, ever since you took over the reins of this great country. Similarly, Your Excellency, I can tell you without any doubt that all political parties in Pakistan are unanimous on a few things. One of those things is that the friendship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan is supported by all factions in Pakistan. That's a great sense of satisfaction.

Your Excellency, your visit to Pakistan last time took our brotherly relations to a different level and strengthened these cordial relations. I am extremely grateful to you for announcing that Azerbaijan intends to invest $2 billion in Pakistan in ventures, which are mutually beneficial and will bring dividends to both countries. I am extremely happy to say that, ever since, both teams have worked very seriously to achieve results on this behalf. I am so happy to hear this from you this morning that the two teams have done a lot of work. A deadline of one month has now been given to both sides to finalize all arrangements. In the month of April, In Sha Allah, once everything is discussed and decided, I'll be again deeply honored and extremely happy to receive you again in Islamabad in April to ink these agreements valued at $2 billion.

This will be, Your Excellency, the first quantum jump in our trade and investment relations and a huge reflection of our fraternal bonds, because our friendship, our political understanding, our union of thought and action at international levels, in international forums, have been legendary. I think, on this count, our business, our trade, and our investment relations have not reflected the true strength of our relations. I think today we have achieved that target, and In Sha Allah, in a month's time from now, we will celebrate turning this great decision into action. I'm extremely grateful to you for your sincerity, your leadership, your sagacity, and your vision. I want to assure you, my very dear brother, President Ilham Aliyev, that I will not let you down, and I will try to meet your speed and commitment, if not more.

Your Excellency, Pakistan has always supported Azerbaijan's stand on Karabakh and Alhamdulillah, through your vision, your courage, and your decisive decision-making has led to peace in that part. I was supposed to visit Fuzuli tomorrow and then Shusha in the mountains. But considering the chill factor I experienced last evening, combined with the snowfall, I think, we decided that in the summer, when we visit your great country and our second home again for conference, we will visit together and be there and appreciate your magnificent achievements.

Your Excellency, thank you very much for your support for the people of Kashmir. You have always supported the cause of Kashmir without any political conditions or strings. It has been your hallmark, and your steadfast position, and we, the people of Pakistan, deeply appreciate this. I hope the resolutions passed by General Assembly and Security Council will be materialized one day soon through our collective efforts, because they are human beings and they have sacrificed for seven decades to fight for their freedom, for their right of self-determination. I think the world should support their cause and their endeavors, not oppose them.

Similarly, Your Excellency, the people of Gaza now need a permanent ceasefire, and the world admitted the cause of the Gazans and the Palestinians. The two-state solution for Palestine is a cause on which there is complete unanimity. I think that now it is the time for this pause in Gaza to be transformed into a permanent ceasefire. And then, I think the dream of two states in this area, the Palestinian state, will be materialized in time to come sooner rather than later.

Your Excellency, today, these MoUs and agreements, which have been signed here will go a long way in promoting our sincere efforts to have very good dividends in the times to come. SOCAR and their Pakistani counterpart have extended the LNG framework by another two years with a trading company established. Of course, many other landmark MoUs and agreements have been signed today. I'm very grateful for your unstinted support, and I totally agree with you that this is the time Pakistan and Azerbaijan, who have wonderful strategic defense relations, they must be now enhanced to a much higher level. We must have joint defense production capacity, and this is an absolute commitment on both sides. While the Azerbaijani delegation will visit Pakistan in the month of April, this will be one of the high-priority agendas of the delegation. We will be ready to have serious and sincere discussions and negotiations on this behalf.

Your Excellency, your project of an international infrastructure corridor is the need of the hour, and Gwadar Port is the destination for imports and exports. This, I think, will bring about a transformative and very positive impact in the entire region, and we fully support this vision of yours. Again, this will be one of the agenda items of the delegation when they meet together to find ways and means to take your vision forward because this will be again a win-win situation.

Your Excellency, once again, I'd like to thank you for your very warm hospitality; you are a brother. We are like a family, and I look forward to your visit to Pakistan in the month of April for this great event and great signing ceremony, which will be watched not only by the people of Pakistan, not only in the four nooks and corners of our brotherly country, Azerbaijan, but also globally. This is what we must achieve, and this is what we must reflect: peace, progress, and prosperity, not only in this region but in the length and breadth of this entire world. From the warm waters of the Arabian Sea to the expanse of the Caspian Sea, our friendship is our brotherhood, and we will solidify it. We will strengthen it through our mutual efforts, and, In Sha Allah, this brotherhood will live as long as this world exists. Thank you very much, and God bless you!