Baku, July 24, AZERTAC

"The Azerbaijani and Russian presidents' Sochi meeting once again demonstrated Azerbaijan's influence in the region," said MP Sevinj Fataliyeva as she commented on the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents' recent meeting in Sochi.

"Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation are those of strategic partnership. This was confirmed once again during the Sochi meeting of President Ilham Aliyev and President Vladimir Putin," she said.

"Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Russia is of crucial importance. Relations between the two states and nations have historical roots. Azerbaijan and Russia enjoy consistently developing bilateral relations in political, economic, humanitarian and cultural areas."

Saying a number of pivotal issues, including the situation in the region was discussed during the Sochi meeting, MP Fataliyeva described the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the ways of addressing regional problems with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev as yet another demonstration of Azerbaijan's influence in the region. "The meeting also focused on further expansion of bilateral relations, the factor which confirms that the Azerbaijan-Russia relations are rapidly developing. The head of state's Russia visit, and the meeting held between the two countries' presidents is a clear example of this," Fataliyeva said.

"I think that after the Sochi meeting, Russia, one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, will continue to enhance its efforts to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within international law. The development of strategic partnership relations between Russia and Azerbaijan worries the Armenian lobby and some pro-Armenian and anti-Azerbaijani circles which are under its influence, who attempt to undermine this relationship. However, the nature, depth and development prospects of relations, as well as mutual trust and friendship existing between the heads of state are the key factors that condition the failure and fiasco of such attempts," MP Fataliyeva added.