ENLARGED MEETING OF PRESIDENTS OF AZERBAIJAN AND MOLDOVA
The head of the Azerbaijan state Ilham Aliyev, addressing the President of Moldova and members of the Moldavian delegation, has told:
“Dear Mr. President!
Dear friends!
I would like to greet and tell once again you "Welcome". We attach great importance to visit of the President of Moldova to Azerbaijan. Between our peoples always there were very warm relations, during many years we actively cooperated, met, and exchanged experience. Certainly, it is important that Moldova and Azerbaijan after gaining independence have not lost these connections. They have not been lost, on the contrary, I would tell, today our cooperation acquired completely new level. We very actively cooperate in bilateral format, also we are participants of the various international organizations, in particular, such organization, as GUUAM in which our countries actively cooperate. There are good prospects in the field of economic cooperation.
We today with you, Vladimir Nikolayevich, have communicated about state of affairs in the economic field of our countries and have with satisfaction noted, as in Moldova, and in Azerbaijan very serious economic growth is observed. By strengthening potential of our countries, the opportunity for effective bilateral economic cooperation grows. We hope, that your visit and documents which will be signed, promote that economic projects.
Certainly, by way of our programs on integration into the international structures both countries have achieved great successes. But there are also problems, which unite us. Unfortunately, in the territory of our countries, there appear elements of aggressive separatism, and it is a trouble and danger for regional cooperation and safety. We hope, that the international rules of law will triumph, and territorial integrity of all countries will be restored.
It is very pleasant for me that you have arrived with large delegation, and I am confident, that our ministers also will contact, cooperate, and meet actively. In this case, Presidents serve them as a good example. We with you at all our meetings within the framework of the CIS always very actively exchange views and I think, that our ministers should follow our example.
I once again want you to greet with all my heart and to wish, that this visit was successful that you have returned home with the best impressions.
Having thanked President Ilham Aliyev for hospitality and warm reception, the President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin has told:
Thanks, Mr. President Ilham Aliyev,
Dear Azerbaijani friends!
I am for the first time in Azerbaijan, and this is my first visit to capital of the state of Southern Caucasus. Though we have found out that the turn to pay visit belonged to the Azerbaijani side. But we have agreed with President Aliyev and now he will twice arrive to Moldova successively. So count it the official invitation.
Really, I agree with you, that in destinies of our countries and peoples, there is a lot of common - and on the historical past in structure of the Soviet Union, and on those events, which occurred, in difficult years of becoming of our states as independent. But we have also very good prospects for cooperation and strengthening of bilateral links. We also actively cooperate within the framework of the international organizations, the CIS. All this also is the purpose of our visit. I am grateful to You for the invitation to carry out this visit and I express gratitude to colleagues from Azerbaijan for the great preparatory work: as for all my visits we in one country did not sign such plenty of documents.
Therefore, I think, that, really, we have very good prospects of mutually advantageous bilateral cooperation.
We always regarded and regard with deep respect for your country, your people. We have in Moldova about 2 thousand person of ethnic Azerbaijanis, here is present the deputy of parliament of our country, Azerbaijani, too. We have in Moldova many other opportunities for deepening of mutual relations. I think, that personal acquaintance of our ministers, heads of departments will serve wider cooperation. I think that we can find new ways of cooperation. We both have many tasks within the framework of the United Nations on support of the countries, promotion of separate candidates, and also in adoption of resolutions. The saddest is that we have common problem: the question of territorial integrity is not solved. We have the problem of Pridnetsrovie, and you have your separatists. These are very painful questions.
In the delegation, there is head of Gagauzia. I want to tell, that on December 23, we shall mark the 10th anniversary of establishment of the Gagauz Autonomy. It is the first example in Europe on solution in the peace way of the problem of independent territorial formation. We give a lot of attention that this Autonomy developed normally that there was a good economic base here.
***
Then presidents Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Voronin with participation of representatives of the governments of two countries have in detail discussed the questions representing mutual interest.