Following the official welcome ceremony, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov have held a one-on-one meeting.
Welcoming President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:
- Dear Mr. President, dear Gurbanguly Malikguliyevich.
I am very pleased to see you on Azerbaijani soil again. Our meetings are regular in nature, and during these meetings we discuss and make decisions on very important issues. The fraternal relations between our peoples have a long history. This is a history of friendship, fraternity and mutual support. We have always supported each other and always rejoiced in each other's successes. Today, as two independent states, we are actively building our future.
I would also like to congratulate you and the fraternal Turkmen people on the great achievements during the period of independence, on the rapid development of Turkmenistan, on an active position in the international arena and on the solution of many important social and economic issues. And we, as your friends and brothers, rejoice in your successes. Your visit today is a continuation of our active dialogue on a wide range of issues that cover the political, economic, transport dimensions, as well as humanitarian cooperation. In preparation for your visit, I once again got acquainted with information on our cooperation. We see a very positive trend. This makes me happy because while there are still problems in the economic and financial sphere in the world today, the trade and economic relations between us are developing and the commodity turnover is increasing. We are resolving many important issues in our region, in the Caspian region, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Therefore, I am sure that the current official visit to our country will be busy, fruitful and produce good results. You are welcome again. I wish you a pleasant stay in Azerbaijan.
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said:
- Thank you, dear Ilham Heydar oglu. Let me thank you for your invitation. As always befits us, we feel your hospitality and warmth. We are grateful to you. And of course, we attach great importance to our official visit. It takes place in the context of our interstate dialogue and is a continuation of our general discussions of international issues, issues in the field of politics, economics, in the cultural and humanitarian spheres. I think our meeting today, our negotiations will also provide a good impetus to the strengthening of our friendly relations. I would also like to thank you for your personal contribution to the development of friendly Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations.
I would like to wish you continued success in your state activities and, most importantly through you, all the best and prosperity to our fraternal people of Azerbaijan. Thank you again for your invitation.
