OFFICIAL NEWS
AZERBAIJAN SUCCESSFULLY COOPERATES WITH JAPAN IN ALL SPHERES
PRIME-MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVED DELEGATION OF ADVISERS CHAMBER OF JAPANESE PARLIAMENT
Having welcomed the guests warmly, Prime-Minister Ilham Aliyev said Japan-Azerbaijan relations are swiftly developing that suits both countries. The first official visit to Japan by President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in 1998, according to him, gave a new impetus to the bilateral cooperation in all areas: for the last years, an inter-governmental commission for economic issues has been founded; the Government of Japan has allocated to Azerbaijan some 400 million dollars credit and 60 million aid; Japanese companies have been taking active part in the development of the Azerbaijan’s oil sector, they are investors in a number of projects including such a huge one as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan; inter-parliamentary links are successfully developing as well. “Japan is our very important and friendly partner. We are very satisfied with the cooperation and intend to achieve its further development,” the Prime-Minister said.
Thanking the Prime-Minister for the kind words, Mr. Shoji Motooka pointed out that the delegation of Japanese Parliament’s Advisers Chamber stays for the first time in Azerbaijan and stressed the very high level of the existing relationship. “We are striving for further development of inter-parliamentary links between our countries as around the world, parliaments are basis of democracy, so, we accepted Mr. Murtuz Alasgarov’s invitation with great pleasure,” he said.
The head of the Japanese delegation wished President Heydar Aliyev speedy recovery and return to motherland, and congratulated Ilham Aliyev on the appointment Prime-Minister of Azerbaijan.
He further said: “We have a lot of information about Azerbaijan. Your country has always played the role of corridor between Europe and Asia, and today, Azerbaijan is of great significance for stability in the Caucasian region that is extremely important factor of peace in the whole world.” Mr. Motooka described this visit as a historical even from the standpoint of strengthening inter-parliamentary relations of the two countries, and once again stress its paramount significance.
Having expressed his gratefulness to the guest, Prime-Minister Ilham Aliyev said: “Taking the chance, I would like you to convey my best wishes and gratitude to Prime-Minister of Japan Mr. Koidzumi for congratulations”.
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Present at the reception were Chief of Foreign Relations Department of the Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov, Chairman of the inter-parliamentary friendship group Azerbaijan-Japan, deputy of the Milli Majlis Aynur Sofiyeva, Ambassador of Japan to Azerbaijan Tosiyuki Fujivara.