OFFICIAL NEWS
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCEHIS EXCELLENCYMR. JACQUES CHIRAC
Dear friend,
I want to thank You very much once again for the invitation to pay an official visit to France after I was elected as President, and express deep gratitude for You attention and care about the delegation of Azerbaijan during the visit.
I hope that my first visit to Your beautiful country, our wide and purposeful conversation, the meetings I have held there, various contacts will foster transition of France-Azerbaijan relationship to a new stage.
Friendship and cooperation between France and Azerbaijan have good prospects in all spheres, and we are ready to realize them for prosperity of both peoples.
I regard the decorating on behalf of the Republic of France, Heydar Aliyev with the Grand Cross of Order of the Legion of Honor, on the one hand, as Your high assessment of his contribution to development of France-Azerbaijan relations, and on the other hand, as an evidence of your friendly feelings towards President Heydar Aliyev.
I believe that due to our joint efforts, the relations of close friendship and cooperation between our two countries, whose foundation was laid by President Heydar Aliyev and Your Excellency, will be further expanded and strengthened in the name of progress of our countries and peoples.
I do not doubt that one You will continue to take efforts for one of the sorest problems of Azerbaijan and the region, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh to be fairly settled in accordance with the norms and principles of the international law.
Dear Mr. President, taking the opportunity, I would like to in invite You to visit Azerbaijan in any convenient time. I am confident that Your visit will open a new page in the history of the relations between our two countries.
Please, accept my best wishes for Your good health, every success and steady progress of the friendly people of France.
With most sincere friendly feelings, I remain
Ilham Aliyev,
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The city of Baku, January 27, 2004