Azerbaijani President receives vice-chairman of Czech parliament`s Chamber of Deputies - PHOTO

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received a Czech delegation led by Jan Hamá?ek, vice-chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the parliament, chairman of the Czechia-Azerbaijan friendship group.

The head of state underlined the importance of reciprocal visits and meetings in terms of strengthening bilateral relations. The President noted good opportunities exist for expansion of cooperation in bilateral energy sphere. President Ilham Aliyev added Azerbaijan would continue to contribute to energy security of Europe.

The head of state said Azerbaijan and Czechia had successful cooperation both at bilateral level and within the European Union. The President expressed regret that some steps were taken in Czechia as well to put obstacles to this cooperation. The head of state noted Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg`s groundless and biased statements on Azerbaijan and Khojaly genocide, which do not reflect the reality, was one of the factors impeding Czech-Azerbaijan relationship. President Ilham Aliyev called such statements “unacceptable”. The Azerbaijani President expressed hope that the Czech leadership would make its position clear on such steps, damaging development of bilateral relationship.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed assurance that Jan Hamá?ek`s visit to Azerbaijan would serve strengthening of interparliamentary ties.

For his part, Jan Hamá?ek stressed the importance of expansion of Azerbaijan-Czechia relationship in various spheres, including interparliamentary one. He said the Foreign Relations Committee of the Czech parliament`s chamber of deputies had adopted a resolution condemning the ethnic cleansing committed against innocent people in Khojaly, mass slaughter and genocide.

/AzerTAc/