President Aliyev: Azerbaijan and Albania work as close friends and brothers

On July 7, President of the Republic of Albania Bajram Begaj arrived with an official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has held an expanded meeting with President Begaj, following a one-on-one meeting, Azertag reports.

“We have established very close and friendly relations. And high-level political dialogue between Azerbaijan and Albania has a very good dynamism,” said President Ilham Aliyev at the expanded meeting with Albanian counterpart.

The head of state described it as an important factor to strengthen relations between the two countries, saying: ”I would name them excellent. It is reflected in mutual support in international institutions and also a lot of practical activity on the ground with respect to issues of energy and economic development.”

“Now Azerbaijan and Albania work as close friends and brothers, and the prospects for our cooperation are really very bright,” the Azerbaijani leader said.

“Because there is a very solid foundation, which is our friendship and mutual interests and a very clear vision for the future of how to move forward our bilateral ties and how to strengthen cooperation. Of course, an important factor as a basis for cooperation was issues related to energy development. We have more plans in that respect,” the head of state emphasized.

“We created a very special dynamism in our bilateral ties based on friendship and mutual support,” President Ilham Aliyev said.

The head of state noted: “We are actively working in international organizations, supporting each other, primarily in the United Nations and Islamic Cooperation Organization. At the same time, we are very grateful to Albania for supporting Azerbaijan in the organizations where Azerbaijan is not present.”

“I already expressed my gratitude to Mr. President and the Government of Albania for support to Azerbaijan during the last year's Francophonie Summit, where there was an attempt by one member state of Francophonie to pass the paragraph and to include the paragraph into a final document - a paragraph of anti-Azerbaijani substance. And Albania was the country, which blocked that,” President Ilham Aliyev added.

“And that was the demonstration of friendship, demonstration of a strong commitment to basic principles of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the countries. So even in the organizations, where Azerbaijan cannot defend itself, we have a brother like Albania who did it. And we're very grateful for that,” the head of state noted.

“We discussed today the future political relationship between our countries and our joint activity in international organizations. At the same time, definitely, on our agenda were issues related to trade, economy, and investment opportunities,” President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that Azerbaijani investors are ready to seriously consider investment projects in Albania, whether it's in tourism or agriculture, or in any other area.

“I think that in the coming months, we will have more information about that and that will open also a new page in our relations,” the president added.

“It's a great pleasure for me to meet you today here in the great and beautiful city of Baku. I'm convinced that the intensity of our meetings reaffirms again our commitment and common will to boost our relations between the two countries, which under the spirit of fraternal friendship and cooperation have been experiencing dynamic development in recent years both in political and economic fields,” President of Albania Bajram Begaj said in turn.

“As you (President Ilham Aliyev - ed) said, we have an excellent relationship, and we have to work to make excellent economical relation. I'd like to appreciate your personal contribution and commitment to this new page of the history of relations between the two countries,” Bajram Begaj noted.