Nazarbayev: Baku visit to lay new foundations to step up economic, political ties

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 3 Trend: Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan always emphasize closeness of history, culture, language and religion, and after gaining their independence, they have built relations on trust, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. He made the remarks Apr. 3 in Baku during a meeting in a narrow format with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Kazakh president said the relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have never been overshadowed by anything. Nazarbayev added that he laid foundations of these relations together with Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev. “I am visiting your country with great pleasure, because I feel like at home here,” Nursultan Nazarbayev said to Ilham Aliyev. “Our delegation arrived with sincere confidence that this visit and negotiations will lay new foundations for strengthening of trade, economic and political relations, and will affect the further rapprochement of our peoples and countries.” Nazarbayev noted that on Apr. 2, he and Ilham Aliyev started the initial negotiations, defined the prospects and opportunities given the new conditions when economic and political crises as well as major changes are taking place in the world. “We see opportunities in diversifying the economy, creating new production areas, doing new things and involving science and innovations in this. These works are being carried out both in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and we can significantly improve the economic relations between our countries on a new basis.” The Kazakh president also congratulated Azerbaijan on the referendum held in the country in September 2016. “I am confident that this will benefit the Azerbaijani people, and this referendum once again demonstrated the people’s confidence in you personally, this is very important in this difficult time,” Nursultan Nazarbayev said to Ilham Aliyev. The Kazakh president noted that he sees the way Baku is developing and becoming more beautiful. “As a man who built a new capital, it is clear to me, and I know how all this developed. The city is becoming more beautiful because it is the image of the country. Each visitor sees the capital city, the country. Azerbaijan is also developing. I would like to reiterate that we are close neighbors and friends who rely on each other.” Nazarbayev also thanked the Azerbaijani president for the warm welcome in Baku. “The talks we will hold, the declarations we will sign are indicative of the great future affairs of our two countries for the benefit of our peoples,” Nazarbayev added.