President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received at the Presidential Palace the participants of the First International Russian Book Festival passing in Baku, 15 September.

Welcoming visitors, the Head of Azerbaijan State said:

“I am very glad to see all of you in our country. You are welcome! Carrying out of the Year of Russia in Azerbaijan is a unique event. I think that the Russian Book Festival becomes the most remembered action to be arranged in the frame of the Year. Therefore, I hope, your stay in our country, too, becomes very pleasant. Many of you have repeatedly been in Azerbaijan, in the last years, for last decades, and I have personal friendly ties with many of you. Therefore, I welcome all of you, and those who are for the first time in our country.

This festival, on one hand, is a fine opportunity for inhabitants of Baku once again to get acquainted with achievements of the Russian, Russian-speaking literature, and simultaneously, very important event as a whole for development of mutual relations between our countries. Because, alongside with economic, political contacts - in this direction we have greater successes - humanitarian cooperation plays an irreplaceable role in mutual relations.

Now, it leaves also on the foreground that is very pleasant. Probably, it occurs in connection with that in our countries, in the CIS countries, processes of becoming of statehood have already come an end, and have come an end the economic crisis, and now has come the period of more dynamical development when the need for cultural wealth increases. Therefore, once again I wish to tell, that I consider this festival from this point of view. It has very big effect, represents greater opportunity. The contacts which are available and which should be increased, undoubtedly, play great role in strengthening of mutual relations. As a whole, the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan develop very positively, and we are satisfied with it. Carrying out of festival is another evidence and a step in cause of strengthening of these contacts.

You, probably, know that in Azerbaijan we treat the Russian language with great love. To keep the Russian language in out country is very important. Of course, after 15 years of independence, the Russian language is not used as large as in the soviet period, and it has natural reasons. However, the young generation should also know the Russian language”.

Then, the Head of the Azerbaijan State spoke of the existent 300 Russian-speaking schools in Azerbaijan, noting that it is the state policy. “Azerbaijan is a multinational country and all the peoples have equal rights in the country, the President of Azerbaijan noted. ‘Peace among the peoples of our country is one of the important factors to strengthen our development and statehood’, he underlined. “Azerbaijan has always been distinctive with its tolerance, national cohesion. And such festivals cement these tendencies”. The Year of Azerbaijan in Russia and the Year of Russia in Azerbaijan with its new format has brought us closer. Therefore, the President emphasized, the future of our relations will also depend on cooperation among the representatives of our countries”.