Azeri president thanks Turkey for support on Karabakh
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
13 Apr 04
[Passage omitted: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev gave a joint news conference after talks in
Ankara]
Sezer said that he and Aliyev discussed all dimensions of bilateral
relations in their meeting. Sezer noted that he and Aliyev searched
opportunities to further improve political and economic relations and
cooperation. He and Aliyev discussed regional issues closely
concerning two countries, Sezer stated. [Passage omitted]
Aliyev, in turn, said that the support extended by Ankara to Baku was
once more confirmed in their today’s meetings. Bilateral relations
with Turkey were improving in every field, Aliyev noted. Aliyev
recalled that Turkey was the first country which recognized Azerbaijan
and said that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey had further
improved throughout years. Positive relations between Turkey and
Azerbaijan were important for not only two countries but also regional
peace and stability, Aliyev stated. Aliyev said that Turkey had always
been beside Azerbaijan in its dispute with Armenia. A gradual solution
to Nagorno-Karabakh dispute was adopted, Aliyev noted.
Stressing the importance of improvement of economic relations, Aliyev
said that economic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan would
increase once Azerbaijan’s trade potential increased. Aliyev
emphasized importance of implementation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline projects for
regional stability.
The Turkish and Azerbaijani officials signed a cooperation protocol on
civil aviation, cultural cooperation protocol, agreement on protection
of industrial ownership, agreement on cooperation in customs,
agreement on long-term economic cooperation.