STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV
Honorable Mr. President, my dear brother,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I once again would like to cordially welcome the President of the Turkish Republic, my dear brother Abdullah Gul, to Azerbaijan.
Today, we have had a wide-ranging exchange of views, comprehensive talks, and once again have made sure that the friendly and brotherly ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan are at the highest level.
Mr. President, we are very happy that Azerbaijan is where you are paying your first official visit in this capacity. It makes great sense reaffirming how close our countries are to each other. We have reached a very high level of cooperation in all - political, economic and cultural spheres.
We are taking necessary measures to further develop bilateral relations and strengthen our political ties. We share common approach to the processes taking place in our region. It is very important because the developments in our region are very significant for our countries. The common position strengthens our countries, as the coordination of the foreign policy cements ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan. High results have been achieved in the economic sphere. But I am convinced that in the future, we will achieve even higher results. A huge role in this will be played by tomorrow’s Turkish-Azerbaijani business forum. I know that you came to Azerbaijan with a large group of businessmen. This fact also gladdens us, as it will allow us to push ahead the cooperation between businessmen in the coming years, and our countries will greatly benefit from realization of economic projects.
In the energy field, we have established fruitful cooperation, which gives wonderful results. We have realized historical projects together. Realization of the oil and gas projects is the greatest achievement, a factor strengthening independence of Azerbaijan and guaranteeing successful development of our countries for many years to come. Joint activity of the two leaderships - the governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan - in this field enables us to cope with all problems we face in most difficult moments.
I am convinced that our cooperation will be only strengthening in the coming years. It is brotherly relationships between our peoples, our states as well as the policy the two greatest persons of the Turkic world bequeathed to us that allows us to say so.
The great leader Mustafa Kamal Ataturk said: “Sorrow of Azerbaijan is our sorrow, and happiness of Azerbaijan is our happiness.” The national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev said: “Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation, two sates.” These words define the framework of our future cooperation. I do not doubt that in future our countries will have more and more impact on the processes taking place in the region.
In the past 16 years, Azerbaijan has been developing as an independent country, and managed to occupy its due place in the region and the world. The projects initiated by Azerbaijan and the steps being undertaken are already contributing to peace, security and development of cooperation in the region. Turkey is our closest ally and the biggest friend, and while strengthening its state independence, Azerbaijan has always relied on the support of the Turkish Republic. Today, state independence of Azerbaijan is indestructible, eternal and irreversible.
We keep supporting each other with all problems facing our countries and peoples. Turley is playing a very positive role in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It has always backed the fair position of Azerbaijan, and taken efforts for withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Azerbaijani lands. We are feeling this support, and it gives us extra power. Azerbaijan, for its part, has always supported Turkey’s right cause, as well. We strongly condemn the groundless accusation brought against Turkey by the Armenian lobby and Armenia. We expressed before and express now our protest against the recent hearings at the US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee and its unfair resolution. Our opinion is that one must put an end to groundless claims against Turkey. They have neither historical grounds nor political significance.
Azerbaijan has always provided and will continue to provide its support in relation to all other issues, including Cyprus problem, that of overcoming the isolation of Northern Cyprus. This problem should find its fair solution on the base of the United Nations’ proposals. We support Turkey’s fight against terrorism, all its operations against the terrorist organization PKK, and will always be side by side with Turkey. This is our position. It has been formed on the base of brotherly feelings. Supporting each other, Turkey and Azerbaijan, the two brotherly independent countries, support their own states ensuring peace and security in the region.
Our cause is a rightful cause. We support justice, normal interaction and peace in the region. We pursue a peaceful policy and, at the same time, we are ready to repulse all actions aimed against us.
The negotiations held in the framework of this visit, the documents signed and tomorrow’s consultations will certainly bring our countries even closer. This is what we desire. We want the Turkey-Azerbaijan friendship and brotherhood to further develop opening new opportunities for our nations. We want our relationships to strengthen in economic and cultural and all other fields, and our peoples to become even closer to each other.
Mr. President, we welcome you to Azerbaijan as a brother and a friend. I can say that today I express feelings of the whole people of Azerbaijan. I wish you success in your future activities.
Thank you.
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