Baku, Ankara praise successfully developing ties

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan and Turkey highlighted the successful development of relations in all areas of cooperation.

President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu on September 16.

President Aliyev congratulated Sinirlioglu on his appointment as Turkey’s foreign minister and wished him successes in his future activities, AzerTac state news agency reported.

He stressed the importance of the fact that Sinirlioglu is paying his first official foreign visit to Azerbaijan. He also highlighted the fact that the presidents of the two brotherly countries traditionally pay their first foreign visits to each other as a good sign of the bilateral ties.

The president said brotherly feelings lie at the heart of bilateral Azerbaijani-Turkish bonds.

President Aliyev noted that successful cooperation of Azerbaijan and Turkey in all fields, including in political, economic, energy, cultural and other ones has yielded good results, emphasizing the significance of discussing further expansion of ties.

The president said he recently had a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He stressed that Azerbaijan will always support Turkey on every issue.

The head of state also expressed confidence that this visit of Turkish FM will create good opportunities for discussing bilateral and regional issues.

Sinirlioglu, for his part, said he was proud of visiting Azerbaijan as Turkey’s foreign minister. He conveyed greetings of President Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmed Davudoglu to President Aliyev.

Turkish FM said the first visits of heads of state and government, chairs of various bodies of Azerbaijan and Turkey to each other was a good tradition, stressing the importance of continuing this tradition.

He noted that Azerbaijan was a fraternal and partner country for Turkey, praising development processes in Azerbaijan starting from the early years of the country`s independence to the tenure of national leader Heydar Aliyev and the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

Sinirlioglu said he was deeply impressed by what he saw in the country during his visit, adding the country has developed enormously over the last 23 years. He once again invited Azerbaijan to the G-20 summit to be held in Antalya.

Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister Artur Rasizade also met with Sinirlioglu on the same day.

They noted Azerbaijani-Turkish relations have wide opportunities.

The sides added there was great potential for successfully continuing the global energy and transport projects between fraternal countries, as well as deepening cooperation in the fields of culture, education, communication, telecommunication, agriculture, trade.

Rasizade said Azerbaijani Government would act necessary steps for further strengthening cooperation.

On Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the sides noted that they support solving the problem within the norms of international law, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and principles of borders inviolability.

They also exchanged views on prospects of bilateral relations, in terms of ongoing global processes in world and in the region.

Turkish Ambassador Ismail Alper Coshkun was also present at the meeting.

Sinirlioglu also held discussion with Azerbaijani MPs in the Azerbaijani parliament.

During the meeting, Speaker Ogtay Asadov expressed condolences relatives of those who died in terror acts in Turkey, and wished those wounded recovery.

He applauded Azerbaijani-Turkish ties, describing that as a sample to the world countries.

Asadov also praised economic relations between the two countries.

He further noted that some forces dislike developing relations between the two countries. "We know Turkey and Azerbaijan conduct and would conduct independent policy and our bonds would further strengthen," he said.

Sinirlioglu in turn highlighted steadily developing relations between the two countries. He also touched upon jointly implemented projects, highlighted Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and TANAP projects.

He added Turkey would continue support solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Sinirlioglu stressed the importance of inter-parliamentary ties, adding there was close cooperation in relevant fields.

Azerbaijan and Turkey's relations have always been strong due to their common culture and history and the mutual intelligibility of Turkish and Azerbaijani languages.

Turkey was the first country in the world to recognize Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 and has been a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity, and realize its economic potential that arises from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea.