Putinru.com, Russia
Oct 19 2004

Putin appreciates political dialog between Russia and Azerbaijan

Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciates top-level political
dialog between Russia and Azerbaijan.
Opening the Kremlin meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilkham
Aliyev, Vladimir Putin said:

“We meet regularly, which I am very happy about.”

According to the Russian President, the volume of trade between the
two countries is growing, and humanitarian contacts are
strengthening. However, this is not enough, he argued.

“We ought to do more,” he said.

The Azerbaijani President agreed with what his Russian counterpart
said.

“I am very happy to see such intensive contacts: this is my third
visit to Russia – to Moscow – since I was elected president. A
permanent political dialog has been in place,” Aliyev said.

“The coming year will mark a milestone as The Year of Azerbaijan will
be held in Russia; the following year we will hold The Year of Russia
in Azerbaijan,” he added.

According to Aliyev, this is an expression of a mutual commitment to
develop cooperation in all areas.

He said that the All-Russian Congress of Azerbaijanis that is
underway in Moscow has shown how close, how sincere and friendly our
peoples are to one another.

The Russian President said that Aliyev had another reason to come to
Moscow, apart from attending the All-Russian Congress of
Azerbaijanis: on the previous day the leader of Azerbaijan, a
graduate of the Moscow International Relations Institute, had visited
the alma mater on its 60th anniversary.

“I am very happy that you have also a personal reason to come to
Moscow,” the Russian leader remarked.

Aliyev said on his part he “could not help coming [to celebrate] such
a glorious jubilee.” He recalled that he had been with the Institute
for over a decade, studying there, then doing post-graduate studies,
then teaching.

“This is another important factor of our bilateral relations,” Aliyev
joked.

The Russian President suggested that the two leaders address the
problem of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

“I am sure today we will have an opportunity to talk calmly about
this most acute problem of the Caucasus,” he said.

The Azerbaijani President expressed his hope that Russia would remain
a contributor to the resolution of this long-term conflict as a
neighbor to Armenia as well as Azerbaijan and as a country
co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Your participation in our meeting [with Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan] in Astana gives us hope that we could make a step
forward,” Aliyev said.