President Ilham Aliyev: 'Azerbaijan is interested in soonest possible settlement of Karabakh conflict' - UPDATE - PHOTOS

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia have today had joint dinner in Sochi, Russia.

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Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan have today visited Alpine skiing center in Sochi following their trilateral meeting.  Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev skied at the center.

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Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia have today met at the Grand Hotel Polyana in Sochi. Prior to the meeting, the Heads of State posed for photographs.

President Medvedev said:
“Dear Ilham Heydarovich,

I cordially welcome you. I`m pleased that the tradition of our winter meetings continues. This is a good opportunity to exchange views on the development of the Russia-Azerbaijan cooperation, discuss our future and evaluate what happened in the past. We have achieved certain results, and, in my opinion, these are good results. Several very important measures have been taken in the economic and humanitarian fields. Of course, we have to look at the situation in our region. We are the states which are strongly bound up with Caucasus, and we are not indifferent to what happens in the Caucasian region, just like what happens in several other adjacent regions.

Of course, our trilateral meeting with the participation of the Armenian President is also of great importance. Over the last few years we have had quite a large number of such meetings. In some moments we have made steps forwards, and in some moments, probably, there are still essential challenges. However, my opinion is that this dialogue is fruitful, and I hope that these contacts will continue in the future. Once again I welcome you to Sochi at this winter time. I hope you will not only interact, but also find time to have a rest.”

President Aliyev said:  “Thank you very much, Dmitry Anatolyevich, for your invitation to visit Sochi.

Actually, this is a very good tradition already. It provides an opportunity to see and interact with each other. Our meetings are quite intensive in nature, we met last year in Moscow. This reflects the character and the spirit of the relations between our states, as well as the dynamism, constant consultations and the increasing potential of our multi-faceted mutual cooperation.

I agree that last year was very successful for our mutual affairs: we strengthened our political cooperation, we put forward new initiatives, the growth in our trade is calculated in tens of percents, our structure is being improved. We have very positive dynamics in a whole spectrum of our bilateral relations. And this makes us very happy. We attach very great importance to our cooperation with Russia. We regard Russia our strategic partner, and this was strengthened by greater practical work in 2011.
I would also like to thank you for continuing efforts to find a solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We have had a large number of meetings. And, as you pointed out, there have been promising moments, and also moments which added to our pessimism.

However, the process is continuing, and the fact that you are continuing your efforts adds to our optimism. Azerbaijan is interested in soonest possible settlement of this conflict so that peace comes to the region.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Russia for supporting Azerbaijan`s bid to join the UN Security Council.”

Dmitry Medvedev: “I congratulate you once again.”

Ilham Aliyev: “Thank you very much. The support was very effective, practical, sincere, and we – both the leadership and the people of Azerbaijan – are grateful to you for such an attitude towards us. And I want to assure you that in the next two years we will work in a close cooperation with you in the Security Council, and will try to justify the hopes of all the 155 countries which supported us.

Thank you once again for this opportunity, and I hope the year 2012 will also be a success in terms of our mutual affairs.”

Dmitry Medvedev: “This is our hope too.”

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17:36

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia issued a joint statement on the outcomes of Sochi talks on the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The statement reads: "The presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Russian Federation met January 23, 2012 in Sochi at the invitation of the President of Russian Federation and discussed the course and prospects of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement.

The Heads of State emphasized much should be done to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and also emphasized a progress achieved since their meeting on November 2, 2008, when the Moscow Declaration was adopted. The presidents said as a result of intense negotiations the sides achieved progress in basic principles of the conflict’s settlement.

Taking into consideration the importance of the transition to the development of the Peace Agreement, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia expressed readiness to accelerate the achievement of the agreement on basic principles.

The two Presidents highly appreciated the mediation efforts of the Russian Federation and other countries and expressed hope that Russia, France and the USA will continue to play an active role in the settlement of the conflict.

The Presidents reaffirmed that one of the confidence-building measures for the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is the development of cultural contacts between the sides of the conflict. In this regard, Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia declared their readiness to promote the dialogue between intellectuals, scientific and social circles."
 
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Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan have today held a trilateral meeting at the Grand Hotel Polyana in Sochi.

The meeting discussed settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The meeting culminated with the adoption of a joint statement.

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15:40

Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia have today met in the Grand Hotel Polyana in Sochi. Prior to the meeting, the Heads of State posed for photographs. The presidents made a speech at the event.

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12:56

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today arrived in Sochi, Russia for a working visit. At the Adler International Airport, the Head of State was welcomed by Russian high-ranking state and government officials.

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11:06

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today left for Sochi, Russia for a working visit. At the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the Head of State was seen off by Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalybov. 


/AzerTAc/