OFFICIAL NEWS
ENLARGED MEETING OF PRESIDENTS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ROMANIA
Greeting the distinguished guest and accompanied delegation, the Romanian President noted that Azerbaijan and Romania are successfully cooperating in the framework of a number of regional projects. Our cooperation under the TRACECA project is rapidly developing, and the efforts to further expand that should be continued, he said.
President Ilham Aliyev thanked the Romanian leader for the invitation and hospitality, and pointed out the great contribution made by national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev and President of Romania Ion Iliescu to establishment and strengthening of the relations between Azerbaijan and Romania. Signing of 11 documents expected in the course of this visit will launch a new stage in development of bilateral relations in economic and humanitarian spheres, he said.
Widely discussing the two countries integration the into the European and Euroatlantic structures, the Heads of State stressed the need to intensify the activity of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation for further strengthening of the regional cooperation. The sides expressed their support of the EU’s New Neighboring Policy, and described the fact of Caucasian countries’, in particular, Azerbaijan’s joining this policy as very remarkable.
They also touched upon the issue of transportation of Azerbaijan’s natural gas through Romania to Europe, and noted, in this connection the necessity to intensify efforts for resolution of the conflicts in the Caucasus. President Ilham Aliyev recalled in particular that 20% of the Azerbaijan’s territories were occupied and over one million people became refugees and IDPs as a result of the Armenian aggression. Azerbaijan stands for resolution of this conflict on the base of the international legal norms, and demands restoration of its territorial integrity, he said.