Iranian President meets Speaker of Azerbaijan’s National Assembly
IRNA news agency, Tehran
6 Aug 04
Baku, 6 August: President Mohammad Khatami here 6 August referred to
parliament as the cornerstone of democracy and symbol of sovereignty
and said that placing focus on parliament indicates respect for the
nation.
Speaking in a meeting with the Speaker of Azerbaijan’s National
Assembly Murtuz Alasgarov, he pointed to the decisive role of the
parliaments of both countries in expansion of mutual ties and urged to
implement the mutually signed agreements, despite bureaucratic
problems.
Turning to Iran-Azerbaijan historical, religious and cultural
relations, he said that Iran’s bolstering ties with Caucasus area,
particularly its Muslim neighbours including Azerbaijan Republic is
part and parcel of Iran’s foreign policy principle.
“Given plenty of potentials for cooperation in various fields,
high-ranking officials from both countries are determined to further
broaden the current relations,” he added.
The president noted that security, stability and progress in
Azerbaijan is linked to security in the Islamic Republic of Iran and
hoped that Karabakh clashes will lead to sustainable peace.
Appreciating the steps taken to establish a legal Caspian regime, he
said that Majlis is quite serious on the issue.
The chief executive hoped that a comprehensive plan securing the
interests of the Caspian littoral states will soon be drawn up.
He turned to the Caspian environmental problems and the health of its
aquatics as a key to healthy life in the regional countries and urged
the protection of its environment considering its unique position in
the world.
“The convention on the Caspian Sea environment inked by the littoral
states will soon be examined by Majlis. We expect Azerbaijan’s
National Assembly will take a similar step,” he added.
The president expressed the satisfaction of Iranian nation with the
independence of Azerbaijan and said that Iran was the first country
officially recognizing it as an independent country.
For his part, Alasgarov expressed pleasure over the president’s visit
and said that dialogue between the high-ranking Iranian delegation and
Azeri officials will help expand mutual ties.
The speaker pointed to parliamentary relations between the two
cooperation.
Turning to the unrest in Karabakh region and its partial occupation by
Armenia as an obstacle interfering with Azerbaijan’s progress, he
underlined that his country will not let Armenia take even a small
part of its territory.
Alasgarov also appreciated Iran’s approach towards Karabakh issue on
the international scene and said, “We believe that Iran will take
measures towards seeking a peaceful solution to the problem.
President Khatami heading a high-ranking political and economic
delegation arrived in Azerbaijan Republic capital of Baku on Thursday
afternoon on an official visit in response to the invitation of his
Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
Officials of the two countries, during Khatami’s visit, are scheduled
to sign eight cooperation agreements and issue a joint political
communique.
The Azerbaijan Republic is situated in eastern Transcaucasia, on the
western coast of the Caspian Sea. To the south, it borders on Iran, to
the west Armenia, to the north-west Georgia, and to the north the
Republic of Dagestan, in Russia.
On the last day of his stay in the Central Asian country, Khatami will
visit the historical city of Ganja to pay tribute to the 12th century
prominent Iranian poet Nezami Ganjavi, who has been buried in the
city. He is also to visit the historical Shah Esma’il Mosque in the
city.
