Azerbaijani senior official: Azerbaijan-Russia interstate forum to make significant contribution to promoting friendship between two nations

The Azerbaijan-Russia Interstate Forum will make a significant contribution to developing and enhancing friendship among the two nations, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Chief Ramiz Mehdiyev said at the first Azerbaijani-Russian Civil Forum on Jan. 22.

"This forum which is being held for the first time will make a significant contribution to developing and enhancing friendship between our peoples," he said.

He especially thanked the administrations of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia.

According to him, this forum was possible thanks to the leaders of the two countries Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev.

"Today, our relations and cooperation with Russia is developing rapidly. The activities of an ITAR-TASS independent news agency in Baku shows the attention that we pay to the Russian language. About 16,000 students study in Russian in our colleges and universities. Branch of Moscow State University in Baku is an eloquent example to this. This all became possible due to Azerbaijan's economic development and the president's far-sighted policy," he added.

Presently, Azerbaijan is the leader in the South Caucasus. The country's GDP grew 9.3 percent and country's currency reserve total $20.4 billion, he said.

Today, Baku is hosting the first Russian-Azerbaijani Forum on humanitarian cooperation.

The forum has been organized by the state agencies of the two countries.

The forum will discuss bilateral relations, cooperation between political institutions, civil society, professional associations and creative unions of countries.

Particular attention will be paid to the role of media in building bridges between Russia and Azerbaijan, bringing the reality of the two states to the general public, preserving the Russian language and expanding the Russian-speaking information area.

/Trend News/