President Ilham Aliyev has received the former prime minister and commissioner for trade of France, Dominique de Villepin.

The former prime minister and commissioner for trade of France, Dominique de Villepin, said that he was deeply impressed by the rapid development ongoing in Azerbaijan. He congratulated the President of Azerbaijan on the launch of the country’s first artificial satellite into orbit. Stressing that there are numerous joint projects aimed at further enhancing cooperation, Dominique de Villepin expressed his hope that the relations between the two countries would rise to the level of strategic partnership. The French visitor described the organization in Baku of the inaugural European Olympic Games after the "Eurovision" song contest as an important step. Dominique de Villepin also stressed the importance of Azerbaijan, which serves as a bridge between the East and West, in the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

The President of Azerbaijan expressed his appreciation for the support of French companies engaged in the field of information technology for the launch of Azerbaijan’s first artificial satellite into orbit. President Ilham Aliyev noted the significance of operation of various French companies in Azerbaijan. The head of state also emphasized the importance of long-term cooperation projects between Azerbaijan and France.