Ilham Aliyev received Russian delegation

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a Russian delegation, who are visiting the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Russian Book House in Baku.

Welcoming the delegation, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Good to see you again.

Chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots at the State Duma of the Russian Federation Leonid Kalashnikov said:

- We are coming here as if it were our home.

President Ilham Aliyev: That's right. That's the way it should be. Come on in please. I am very glad to see you. You are visiting us at a very significant time. My visit to Russia has just ended and the CIS summit is about to begin.

Leonid Kalashnikov: Ilham Heydarovich, your visit has produced tremendous effect in Russia. Frankly, it was a very warm meeting. All of this was shown.

President Ilham Aliyev: It's no secret that Vladimir Vladimirovich and I have actually developed a very trusting and I would say friendly relationship based on mutual respect, mutual understanding and a desire to deepen cooperation. For me, of course, it is a great honor to have been invited to the Valdai Forum. The forum itself is important and it is also important who sends the invitation. Vladimir Vladimirovich invited me during our meeting in Beijing in April. We then had very constructive negotiations and then we somewhat summed up the results in Sochi. Everything we agree on is fulfilled. Of course, the meeting with the President was very meaningful and very warm. I am very happy about it.

Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee Leonid Kalashnikov emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev’s speech at the session of the Valdai International Discussion Club was closely monitored and made a great impression. He said that the 10th anniversary of the Russian Book House operating in Azerbaijan would be celebrated during the visit. Leonid Kalashnikov expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for supporting the activities of the Russian Book House.

Leonid Kalashnikov also described the state care about the Russian language in Azerbaijan as exemplary, noted with satisfaction that more than 350 secondary schools in Azerbaijan conducted teaching in Russian and there were Russian departments in higher education institutions.

Leonid Kalashnikov also noted that very close ties had been established between the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Russia. He said that the support provided by the Azerbaijani delegation in restoring Russia’s membership in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was highly appreciated.

The sides exchanged views on prospects for the development of cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in the fields of science, education and in other humanitarian areas.