ALIYEV MEETS WITH JAPANESE FM

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 9 2006

Later President Ilham Aliyev received at his temporary residence
Foreign Minister of Japan Taro Aso.

The Minister expressed confidence that President Ilham Aliyev’s first
official visit to Japan will play an important role in enhancing
cooperation between the two countries.

He said Azerbaijan is located at strategically very important region,
and that his country attaches particular significance to its relations
with Azerbaijan.

The Minister recalled the official visit to Japan by national leader
of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in 1998. He said that visit marked
intensification of Azerbaijan-Japan relationship. According to him,
this visit by President Ilham Aliyev will open a new stage of bilateral
cooperation.

Mr. Aso pointed out that Japan supports territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, and will continue to do so at various international events.

President Ilham Aliyev said important steps had been taken towards
cementing the Azerbaijan-Japan cooperation, and further improvement
of the existing relationship. He expressed his views on a number of
issues of mutual interests.

The Head of State expressed confidence that this visit will mark a
new stage of the Azerbaijan-Japan relationship, noting that numerous
meetings he had here in Japan were very successful in terms of
enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Taro Aso touched on
Japanese companies’ close involvement in development of oil fields
in Azerbaijan, and favorable investment opportunities existing in
the country.

They also discussed the Azerbaijan’s most painful problem, the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorny Karabakh. President Ilham
Aliyev outlined the current situation, and expressed official stance
of his country with regard to the ways of the conflict’s resolution.

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Japan continues.