Azerbaijan-Tatarstan ties help to improve allied relations with Russia, says President Aliyev PHOTO

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that relations between Azerbaijan and Tatarstan significantly contribute to the strengthening of friendly and allied relations with Russia.

Aliyev made the remarks while receiving Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov in the village of Aghali of the Zangilan district on June 17, Azertag reports.

Welcoming the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear Rustam Nurgaliyevich, welcome again. I am very glad to see you again. Of course, the opening of the joint centre today has been a significant event. But even more important is our communication. I always have fond memories of our meetings in Kazan and Baku. I am delighted that everything we outlined is being implemented, including the first facility of the “Araz Valley” Industrial Park, which is the facility of fraternal Tatarstan. We are very grateful for such an attitude towards the restoration of the territories and, of course, we hope that the cooperation program that we have outlined will be fully implemented.

We have already exchanged views with the delegation that came here to hold consultations and make decisions on future plans. There are great prospects, of course, in industrial cooperation, energy, and the oil and gas sector. Naturally, cultural cooperation is a huge layer in itself. The peoples of Tatarstan and Azerbaijan have maintained fraternal and friendly relations for centuries. Of course, the relations between us are also a significant contribution to the strengthening of friendly and allied relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. Also at the interstate level, everything that we plan is being implemented in a very effective and dynamic manner.

So once again, you are welcome and I wish you a pleasant stay here in Jabrayil and Zangilan, as well as in Baku tomorrow.

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Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov said:

- Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, first of all, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to visit your beautiful country, for your invitation and, of course, I have words of gratitude to you, the President of Azerbaijan, and to our President. At the regional level, we are also making a serious contribution to the strengthening of relations between our countries.

As for the Tatars and Azerbaijanis, we have been historically very close in terms of the language. You communicated with your citizens of this village, and I understand almost everything. Of course, today we visited the mosque under construction. All this is very close to us and all this brings us even closer together. A solid foundation of our relations was laid by our first President Mintimer Shaimiyev and Heydar Aliyev, a close friend of his and Tatarstan.