Latvian President Valdis Zatlers and his spouse Lilita Zatlere hosted an official dinner reception in honor of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva in Riga.

The Presidents delivered remarks at the reception.

Speech by Latvian President Valdis Zatlers

Mr President, Madam Aliyeva, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, My wife and I are truly delighted to welcome the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Madam Mehriban Aliyeva to Rīga.

I am delighted to remember my visit to your beautiful country in August 2009. I am sure that also this visit will serve as a far-reaching confirmation of the mutual understanding that has been established between our countries during the 20 years that have passed since the restoration of Latvia’s and Azerbaijan’s independence.

Mr President and Madam Aliyeva, the first phase of independence which began in 1918 was decisive in the development of Latvia and Azerbaijan. Regretfully, that period lasted for less than two years for Azerbaijan, but that was enough to plant the seed of parliamentarianism and democracy in your country. Azerbaijan was the first parliamentary republic in the Islamic world, and your country granted suffrage to women even before the United Kingdom and the United States of America did so. Those are events of historical importance which today lead Azerbaijan toward democratic values.

Both Latvia and Azerbaijan are at geographically strategic locations. We represent the crossroads between West and East, between Europe and Asia. This placement has not always brought welfare and peace to our peoples, but it has strengthened the spirit of our nations, and it has substantially enriched our culture.

Mr President and Madam Aliyeva, over the last 20 years, Latvia has done a great deal to achieve the strategic goal of full membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. I am truly proud to say that our membership status, as well as Azerbaijan’s loyal partnership with these organisations, have opened up even broader opportunities for co-operation between our countries and regions.

During this brief period of time, Latvia has achieved a great deal in terms of joining the common European space. We might even say that our experience with reforms and our successes and failures therein have become one of Latvia’s most valuable export products. We are prepared to share our experience so as to support efforts toward reform in Azerbaijan, as well.

Mr President and Madam Aliyeva, I very much welcome the constructive discussions in which our delegations engaged, because they demonstrated mutual interest on the part of both of our countries. The supplemented legal and treaty structure between our two countries and the declaration that we both signed clearly mark out the areas of future co-operation for our countries. I would particularly stress economic contacts, because these will help to enhance the welfare of people in Latvia and in Azerbaijan. I wish to state the hope that ongoing co-operation between Latvia and Azerbaijan will be substantially enhanced by our existing economic partnership, which has led to ever-increasing trade turnover between our two countries, as well as by the business forum which took place today for delegations of businesspeople from both countries.

Mr President and Madam Aliyeva, on behalf of my wife and myself, please allow me to raise this glass in the name of friendship and successful co-operation between Latvia and Azerbaijan and in the name of the future and welfare of our peoples. To your health, Mr President! To your health, Madam Aliyeva! Long live Latvia! Long live Azerbaijan!

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National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed

Speech by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

Dear Mister President,

Dear Madam Zatlere, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to you Mr. President for the hospitality extended to me and the delegation. I am very delighted to visit for the second time your friendly country, distinguished by its rich history and culture, as well as its picturesque nature.

In the course of the last six years, it is already the seventh time that the Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Latvia meet with each other. This demonstrates openly the close relationship existing between our countries and peoples. Your visit to Azerbaijan in 2009 played an important role in elevating the relations between our countries to a new level.

There are wider opportunities to develop cooperation between Azerbaijan and Latvia in political, economic, cultural and other fields. However, the current indicators of our economic ties do not meet the potential of our countries. The trade turnover and the volume of investments between the two countries are not at a desired level.

We stand for broadening of cooperation with Latvia in all fields. Mr. President, I do hope that the exchange of views on the issues of mutual interest held with you today, as well as the agreements obtained, the documents and the Joint Declaration signed, and finally, the Business Forum held, will stimulate further development of bilateral ties between our countries.

I would like to note with pleasure that Latvia is one of the countries that attaches a particular importance to the cooperation of Azerbaijan with the European Union and NATO. Our interaction within Eastern Partnership Program is useful and will bring Azerbaijan closer to the European family.

The relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia enjoy historical roots. Over the last centuries, many such representatives of Latvia like diplomat Antons Balodis, painter Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš, writers Ernests Birznieks-Upītis, Pāvils Rozītis, Sudrabu Edžus, Jānis Voynovits and Augusts Arājs-Bērce have lived and worked for many years in Azerbaijan.

I do believe that our fellow compatriots who live here and are the citizens of Latvia participate actively in the life of your country and make their valuable contributions to the development of Latvia and further rapprochement between our peoples, and they will continue their mission after all.

In the course of the last years, very successful political and economic reforms have been implemented in Azerbaijan. As a result of these changes, during the last 7 years, GDP has tripled, wages and pensions grew by 5-6 times in average, the poverty level dropped by 4 times, investments in the amount of USD 82 billion were put and more than 900,000 jobs have been created in our country.

Azerbaijan disposes rich natural resources. Besides oil reserves, Azerbaijan’s internationally proven gas reserves exceed 2.2 trillion cubic meters. Cooperation in the field of energy is one of the main directions of our relations with the European Union. For the time being, Azerbaijan has oil and gas pipelines, transporting energy resources in various destinations. Our country attaches a particular importance to the diversification of its energy resources export and is ready to contribute to the energy security of Europe.

Besides all these amenities, the most painful problem of Azerbaijan is the still pending resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory – Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions – are under occupation. The policy of ethnic cleansing was conducted in these territories and over one million people have become refugees and IDPs.

Four resolutions of the UN Security Council related to the conflict, including the decisions adopted by the UN General Assembly, OSCE, the Council of Europe, NATO, the European Parliament and other international organizations must be implemented. Our principal position states that the conflict should be solved in accordance with international law norms within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Dear Mr. President, I would like to reiterate my pleasure of visiting Latvia, wish you good health, everlasting development and successes to your country and people, and raise my glass to you and your spouse and to the development of relations of sincere friendship and beneficial cooperation between Latvia and Azerbaijan.

Thank you!

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The National Anthem of the Republic of Latvia was performed.