Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev: Political relations between Azerbaijan and Slovenia are well developed, and our ties strengthen day by day - UPDATE - PHOTOS

Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Danilo Turk of Slovenia yesterday had a working dinner.

*****
10.06.11

An Azerbaijan-Slovenia business forum has taken place today in Ljubljana with Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Danilo Turk of Slovenia in attendance. Both Presidents addressed the forum. The forum has brought together 200 delegates. Bilateral business meetings were organized as part of the forum.

*****

Today President Ilham Aliyev met with a Prime Minister of Slovenia Borut Pahor. The sides exchanged views on political and economic relations between Azerbaijan and Slovenia and bilateral relations between two countries within the framework of Azerbaijan-European Union.

The importance of Azerbaijan-Slovenia business forum was underscored at the meeting. The sides emphasized that the visit of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to Slovenia is a good opportunity for discussing various aspects of economic ties.

*****

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the mayor`s office here as part of his official visit to Slovenia. Aliyev was welcomed by mayor Zoran Janković in front of the administration's building.

Jankovic pointed out he visited Baku as a businessmen seven years ago. He vowed to develop Baku-Ljubljana cooperation.

The mayor congratulated Azerbaijan on the victory at the Eurovision-2011 song contest, saying quite a few Slovenian artists will be traveling to Azerbaijan next year.

The Head of Azerbaijani State praised what has been done to develop the Slovenia's capital.

"I can see the city administration and residents love their city very much. Reconstruction work has been done here tastefully. In general, today is a very remarkable day for development of Slovenia-Azerbaijan relations. Meetings, discussions I have had today and a joint business forum to be held tomorrow, will bring our countries closer. Our political relations are well developed and our ties strengthen day by day. At the same time, the tomorrow's business forum will be instrumental in development of economic relations because mutual interest is huge and there is every opportunity to work together. Inter-parliamentary relations have developed well too. I am pleased to see an old friend of mine here. We worked together in Strasbourg and had very good days and conversations. Azerbaijan has been a member of the Council of Europe over ten years. However, when we met then, we just joined the Council of Europe and, of course, everything was new to us. We wanted to integrate into the Council of Europe as soon as possible, take our place and Mr. Jankovic helped us a lot," the President said.

"Thanks for your congratulations on the victory of Azerbaijani youth in the Eurovision-2012 song contest. We are ready to host Slovenian visitors in a year including your Mr. Mayor. I hope you will visit Baku before the contest and we will continue our relations," the President said.

President Aliyev also signed a guest book.

*****

On behalf of President of Slovenia Danilo Turk, an official banquet was given on Thursday in honor of visiting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

*****

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met president of Slovenia's National Assembly Pavel Gantar.

They praised the Azerbaijan-Slovenia relations, saying they were developing in different areas. They noted there were good opportunities to develop the bilateral economic relations.

President Ilham Aliyev and Pavel Gantar stressed the importance of interparliamentary ties in terms of expanding the bilateral relations.

They praised the two countries' cooperation within international organizations.  They also expressed confidence President Ilham Aliyev's visit would contribute to developing the Azerbaijan-Slovenia relations.

*****

Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Danilo Turk of Slovenia have made joint press statements.

Following the presidents' remarks the press conference featured a question-and-answer session with journalists.

*****

Following the expanded meeting between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Danilo Turk, Azerbaijan and Slovenia signed bilateral documents.

Azerbaijani foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Slovenian counterpart Samuel Zbogar signed the "Agreement on cultural, educational and scientific cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan".

Mammadyarov and Slovenian economy minister Darja Radic signed the "Convention for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and on property and the prevention of tax evasion between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan".

*****

Following their private meeting, Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Danilo Turk of Slovenia have been joined by their countries` delegations.

During the expanded meeting the two leaders praised their countries` relations in different areas, particularly in the political and economic ones. They noted there was a good potential to expand the bilateral cooperation.

The presidents touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

They stressed the importance of the Azerbaijan-Slovenia cooperation in terms of expanding the relations within the European Union. The presidents also emphasized the significance of the Eastern Partnership Program.

*****

Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Danilo Turk of Slovenia have today had a one-on-one meeting in Ljubljana.

The two presidents praised their countries' relations, saying they were developing in different areas.

They expressed confidence reciprocal visits by the Heads of State would contribute to expanding the relations between Azerbaijan and Slovenia.

The presidents stressed there was a good potential to develop the bilateral relations.

Presidents Aliyev and Turk also discussed regional and international issues.

The presidents then exchanged keepsakes.

*****

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was yesterday officially welcomed to Slovenia.
A guard of honor was lined up for the Azerbaijani leader in front of Brdo Castle decorated with the national flags of the two countries.

Slovenian President Danilo Turk welcomed President Ilham Aliyev.

The presidents inspected a ceremonial guard of honor as an orchestra played the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Slovenia.

Slovenian state and government officials were introduced to President Ilham Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation to President Danilo Turk.

The presidents posed for photographs.

*****

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev yesterday arrived in Slovenia on an official visit.

At Ljubljana's Joze Pucnik Airport decorated with the national flags of the two countries a ceremonial guard of honor was lined up for the Head of State.

President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by Slovenia's high-ranking state and government officials.


/AzerTAc/

Click to enlarge: