ALIYEV SAYS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL COOPERATION MUST BE IMPROVED AMONG TURKISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Turkish Press
Nov 20 2006

ANTALYA – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Friday that
economic and political cooperation among the Turkish speaking countries
must be improved.

Speaking at the 8th Summit of Heads of State & Government of
Turkish-Speaking Countries in the southern Turkish city of Antalya,
Aliyev remembered that Turkey was the first country recognizing
independence of Azerbaijan.

"Economy of Azerbaijan develops rapidly. We have left economic
difficulties behind. Other Turkish-speaking states also overcame the
difficulties," Aliyev added.

"World is changing. The incidents occurring in our region require
new relationships and cooperation," he recalled.

"Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is a historic step. This will serve
economic development of the region. Inclusion of Kazakhstan to this
cooperation brings a new dynamism. Completion of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum
natural gas pipeline means shipment of Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and
Europe," Aliyev said.

Emphasizing that countries of the Caspian region have very rich natural
resources, Aliyev said, "these resources bring financial prosperity
to the region. The cooperation which was considered as a dream before,
is now realized."

-ARMENIAN ISSUE-

Stating that there were problems that create uneasiness in Azerbaijan,
Aliyev said, "ongoing Armenian occupation on Azerbaijan`s territory
is the biggest problem of our country. This is also a problem of
the region. We favor resolution of the problem through peaceful
means. The problem must be solved in line with the principles
of the U.N.. European Organizations do not have any effect on
Armenia. Azerbaijan lost 20 percent of its territory in the ethnic
cleansing. More than 1 million people were made refugee in their
own country."