AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES RUSSIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER
The President noted that Azerbaijan and Russia have rapidly developing relations in different fields including politics and economy. The cooperation is expanding not only among the governmental structures but also among separate Ministries, he said.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the Russian Minister’s visit would promote deepening of both transport cooperation between the two countries and expanding economic links as a whole. Noting that transport makes one of the most significant parts of the economy, the Azerbaijani leader stressed the presence of huge potential for and importance of expanding of the bilateral cooperation in this sphere, especially in the period of increasing trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia.
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin described his meetings in Azerbaijan as very fruitful. He said the concrete steps had been taken and relevant documents signed to expand cooperation between the two countries’ transport-related structures. Both sides’ experts are now working in this direction in close collaboration, the Minister said. He expressed hope for further development and deepening of the bilateral relations in this sphere.
Minister Igor Levitin also recalled his meeting with national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, when as a member of the Soviet government, he, among other sectors, was responsible for the transport one, as well. It was a great honor for me to meet with Heydar Aliyev when managing the construction of the Baykal-Amur main line /BAM/ having then no analogues in the world, he arrived in Khabarovsk oblast to participate in the BAM’s “gold tie cotter” hammering ceremony; I keep it in my memory with a great pleasure, he said.
In conclusion, Minister Igor Levitin presented national leader Heydar Aliyev’s photograph to the President of Azerbaijan.
Present at the meeting were Minister of Transport of Azerbaijan Ziya Mammadov and Charge d’Affaires of Russia to Azerbaijan Pyotr Burdikin.