The official reception was offered by President Ilham Aliyev in honor of
the President of Romania Traian Băsescu in the framework of his
official visit to our country , the official website of the Azerbaijani
President reported.
Delivering his speech at the reception,
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:
- Dear Mister
President:
Dear guests:
Ladies and gentlemen:
First
of all, Mister President, I greet you and the delegation led by you
sincerely once again in Azerbaijan and extend my welcome.
Mister
President, this is your fifth visit to Azerbaijan in last five years. In
my turn, I visited Romania four times during this period of time. Such
regular visits demonstrate the dynamic development of relations between
our countries. Our relations are the relations of genuine friendship and
partnership.
It is not by accident that national leader Heydar
Aliyev has made his first visit indeed to Romania among Eastern European
countries after his election as the President of independent Azerbaijan
and our country opened its first embassy in this region namely in
Romania. Me too, as the President, I made my first visit to Romania
among the countries of Eastern Europe.
Next year we will
celebrate the twentieth anniversary of establishing our diplomatic
relations. I do hope that we will approach this remarkable date with new
achievements in various fields of the co-operation between Romania and
Azerbaijan.
So far over 50 documents which ensure the development
of ties between our countries were signed by both sides. Joint
Declaration on Agreement on Establishing Strategic Partnership signed in
the framework of my last visit to Romania and Joint Action Plan on
Implementation of Strategic Partnership signed this time are the logical
result of the work done to strengthen our bilateral relations. Our
countries co-operate closely within international organizations. We are
very satisfied of our co-operation in the framework of UN, OSCE, the
Council of Europe, Black Sea Economic Organization and in GUAM format.
Our efforts paid for the restoration of Great Silk Way and the creation
of Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor bring us even closer.
The
relationship with the European Union and Euro Atlantic structures takes
an important place in foreign policy of Azerbaijan. Energy co-operation
is one of main areas of our relations with the European Union. Joint
Declaration of Southern Gas Corridor signed between Azerbaijan and the
European Union in January this year is the clear example.
At the
same time, the Declaration on AGRI project signed with your
participation in Baku last September became the beginning of a new stage
of energy co-operation in our region and the indicator of confidence
between us.
Allocation of Heydar Aliyev scholarships to Romanian
students as well as the national leader Heydar Aliyev’s monument erected
in the city of Bucharest and the monument of George Enescu, the founder
of the contemporary Romanian national composers’ school installed in
Baku indicate clearly the high level of our ties in humanitarian field.
During
last years, very successful political and economic reforms were
implemented in Azerbaijan. As a result, GDP in our country increased
almost by 3 times, salaries and pensions augmented by 5-6 times in
average, poverty level dropped by 4.5 times, investments in the amount
of USD82 billion were made in our country, over 900 thousand new jobs
were created in last 7 years.
On the one hand, all these
achievements, e.g. concrete projects implemented by us ensure the
dynamic development of Azerbaijan, and on the other hand, bring peace
and security to the region and impact on positively all processes going
on here.
However, it is with regret I have to note that the most
painful problem of Azerbaijan - Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is not solved yet. As a result of the military aggression of
Armenia, 20% of Azerbaijani territory covering Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven surrounding regions fell under occupation. Armenia conducted the
ethnic cleansing policy in the occupied Azerbaijani territories by
forcing over one million of people to become refugees and IDPs.
We
try to solve this conflict by negotiations. The territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan is recognized by the whole international community and
international organizations. Our principal position envisages the
resolution of the conflict in line with international law norms within
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Dear Mister President, I
welcome you cordially once again and wish you good health, as well as
everlasting development and progress to your country and people. I raise
this glass to you and to the development of relations of sincere
friendship and beneficial cooperation between Romania and Azerbaijan.
Stressing
his delight of being again in Baku with an official visit, the
President of Romania Traian Băsescu highly valued the dynamic economic
development seen in Baku and Azerbaijan as a whole.
Noting the
signature of the Action Plan that will boost further the strategic
partnership between both countries and Azerbaijani-Romanian relations,
Traian Băsescu highlighted that the core of bilateral relations is
related to energy issues by saying:
The spinal bone of our
bilateral relations is energy. This is facilitated by the convergence of
our interests: Romania is promoting a systematic policy to diversify
Europe's energy sources, while Azerbaijan wishes to diversify the energy
routes and markets. This has led to Romania and Azerbaijan
significantly contributing to the process of launching AGRI, a pioneer
project that will change the regional energy chart by introducing the
LNG formula into the transportation of gas in the Black Sea region. The
2010 AGRI Summit in Baku confirmed the key role played by Azerbaijan, as
a source country, in implementing this new project.
President of
Romania appreciated broadly the responsible and active role played by
Azerbaijan at international level and pledged his special support to the
contributions of Azerbaijan to the international anti-terror coalition
and its actions in the framework of Partnership for Peace program.
President
Traian Băsescu said that Romania watches closely the developments in
South Caucasus.
We are following with great interest the events
taking place in South Caucasus and are convinced that, with continuous
efforts from the international community, this region will turn into an
area of stability and economic cooperation. We are in favour of swiftly
and peacefully identifying a negotiated solution for the conflict in the
Nagorno-Karabakh, which can be built only on the principles of
international Law. Romania welcomes the continuation of the negotiations
process between the parties, under the aegis of OSCE, and supports any
proposal that is accepted by the stakeholders for the swift, sustainable
settlement of the conflict.
President Traian Băsescu stressed
his confidence over the contributions to be made by the results of the
visit, the negotiations and the agreements reached for our peoples and
regions.
*****
President of Romania Traian Basescu visited the Alley of Martyrs. A guard of honor was lined up for the President.
The President laid wreath at the "Eternal Flame" monument in the Martyrs’ Alley.
The detached exemplary military orchestra of the Ministry of Defense performed the National Anthem of Azerbaijan and Romania.
Then, Romanian President viewed the city’s panorama from the highest point of Baku.
*****
As part of his official visit to Azerbaijan, Romanian President Traian Basescu has visited the Honorary Cemetery and revered the memory of Azerbaijani national leader, architect and creator of modern Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and laid flowers at his grave.
The memory of the scholar-ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva was also revered and flowers were laid at her grave.
*****
Following the completion of a ceremony of signing Azerbaijani-Romanian
documents on Monday, a ceremony was conducted to present the highest
medals to the President of Romania Traian Basescu and President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the official website of the Azerbaijani
President reported.
On April 18, President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev has signed the order on awarding President of Romania Traian
Basescu, who is on official visit to Azerbaijan, with the "Heydar
Aliyev" Order.
President of Romania has been awarded with the
highest Order of Azerbaijan "for special merits in development of
relations of friendship and cooperation between Romania and the
Azerbaijan Republic".
"Mr. President, You are awarded with the
"Heydar Aliyev" Order, which is the highest award of the Azerbaijani
State," President Ilham Aliyev said at the ceremony.
The
President said Romania and Azerbaijan have strategic relationships,
which were again testified by the documents signed today. "You have a
great contribution to the development of these ties, and the people of
Azerbaijan are well aware of You. We heartily applaud Your position on
Azerbaijan. For Your great merits in the development of relations
between the two countries, today I present You with this highest award,"
said Head of State.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev presented
the "Heydar Aliyev" Order to Romanian President Traian Basescu.
President
Traian Basescu announced a decision taken to award the Head of the
Azerbaijani State with the rank Grand Cross of the Romanian National
Order for Loyal Service. He said that this is a high award. Traian
Basescu said that President Ilham Aliyev became the second head of state
to be awarded with such an award.
During an official visit to
Romania in 2004, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was presented with
the highest award of this country - the National Order "Star of
Romania". According to Romanian legislation, the National Order for
Loyal Service is given to those previously awarded with the Order of the
"Star of Romania".
President Traian Basescu presented to the
Head of the Azerbaijan State the rank Grand Cross of the Romanian
National Order for Loyal Service.
*****
President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev hosted an official reception in honor of the
visiting President of Romania Traian Basescu yesterday. The presidents
made speeches at the event.
*****
18.IV.2011Following the completion of a private meeting, Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Traian Basescu of Romania met in presence of delegations, official website of the Azerbaijani President reported.
President Ilham Aliyev said "we attach great importance to your visit." The Head of State expressed assurance that the visit would have good results.
According to the President, the two countries have strategic relationship, and there is successful cooperation in all spheres. President Ilham Aliyev praised Azerbaijan-Romania relationship, stressing there are good results in political, economic and humanitarian areas. The Head of State noted the Romanian President's visit would contribute to development of these relations.
Basescu thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the invitation.
He said there was extensive cooperation between Azerbaijan and Romania, which is the result of implementation of the issues discussed during the previous visits. The Romanian leader also said today he had very important and fruitful discussions with President Ilham Aliyev.
*****
A rewarding ceremony of the highest orders to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Romanian President Traian Basescu has been held, the official website of the Azerbaijani President said.
Following the ceremony, Azerbaijani and Romanian Presidents made joint press statements.
*****
Following an expanded format meeting, Azerbaijan and Romania have signed
several bilateral documents. Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
and Traian Basescu of Romania signed a Joint Action Plan on
implementation of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Romania.
Azerbaijani
Minister of Agriculture Ismat Abbasov and Romanian Minister of Economy,
Commerce and Business Environment Ion Ariton signed an agreement on
cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan and the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania.
Azerbaijani
Health Minister Ogtay Shiraliyev and Romanian Minister of Economy,
Commerce and Business Environment Ion Ariton signed an agreement on
cooperation between the ministries of Health of Azerbaijan and Romania
in the healthcare sphere and medical sciences.
Azerbaijan's Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and State Secretary of the Romanian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs Doru Costea signed a protocol on cooperation between
the ministries of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Romania.
*****
An official welcoming ceremony was held for President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, who was on an official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani president's official website reported.
A guard of honor was lined up on the square, decorated with the state flags of both countries, in honor of the honorable guest.
The Brigade Commander of the guard of honor reported to President Ilham Aliyev.
President Ilham Aliyev welcomed President of Romania Traian Băsescu.
The Brigade Commander of the guard of honor reported to the Romanian President.
National Anthems of Romania and Azerbaijan were performed.
The Presidents passed along the guard of honor.
The Romanian President saluted the guard of honor.
Azerbaijani state and governmental officials were introduced to President Traian Băsescu and members of the Romanian delegation - to President Ilham Aliyev.
The guard of honor marched past the Presidents.
The Presidents had their official photos taken.
/Trend, AzerTAc/Click to enlarge:Heads of States meet one-on-one