President Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic and Chairman of the Czech Republic-Azerbaijan friendship group, Jan Hamacek.

The President stressed the importance of reciprocal visits and meetings, which serve to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. Noting that there were good opportunities for the expansion of cooperation in the energy sector, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan would continue to make a contribution to the energy security of Europe. The President said that the two countries had been cooperating successfully in the bilateral format and within the European Union, but noted with regret that steps were taken in the Czech Republic to hamper this collaboration. President Ilham Aliyev said that baseless and biased statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Karel Schwarzenberg, which do not reflect the truth associated with Azerbaijan and the Khojaly genocide, were among the factors that prevent the expansion of Czech-Azerbaijani relations. Noting the unacceptability of such statements, the President expressed his hope that the leadership of the Czech Republic would express its attitude to such phenomena that cause damage to the development of bilateral ties.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his confidence that the visit to Azerbaijan by Jan Hamacek, the chairman of the Czech Republic-Azerbaijan friendship group, would serve to further strengthen inter-parliamentary relations.

The Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic and Chairman of the Czech Republic-Azerbaijan friendship group, Jan Hamacek, noted the importance of a further expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries in various areas, including the area of inter-parliamentary cooperation. He said in connection with the 21st anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Deputies of the Czech Parliament had adopted a resolution which strongly condemns the ethnic cleansing, massacre and genocide perpetrated against the defenseless civilian population.