ID :
70288
Tue, 07/14/2009 - 13:35
Auther :

MEETING AT ROYAL INSTITUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

London, 13 July (AzerTAc). Today a meeting of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev took place at the Royal Institute of the International Relations. The meeting was attended by renowned politicians, diplomats, representatives of the press, publicists and public figures of Europe.
President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by the special representative of the UK Government for Southern Caucasus Sir Brian Fall.
Opening the meeting, Sir Brian Fall presented the President of Azerbaijan to the audience.
President Ilham Aliyev spoke on the topic “Foreign Policy Challenges for Azerbaijan”.
Noting his first meeting at this Institute in 2004, the head of the Azerbaijani state said that for the past 5 years independent Azerbaijan has passed a great way of development in various areas, providing its national interests it has adjusted good relations with the partner countries.
Speaking on economic development of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev noted that for last five years the national economy has grown in 2,6 times, poverty level has considerably decreased. Development of economy promoted the solution of many social problems. Economic successes of Azerbaijan were highly appreciated also by the international structures, he undrelined.
Speaking about the projects which are carried out at the initiative of Azerbaijan, President Aliyev underlined their great value from the point of view of regional cooperation.
President Aliyev said the foreign policy of Azerbaijan bases on national interests, international law, mutual respect, principles of non-interference to affairs of each other. He underlined that Azerbaijan has good relations with the Great Britain. “Great Britain is the strategic partner of Azerbaijan. Our relations with this country are significant also from the point of view of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union”, the head of the Azerbaijani state noted.
Concerning the military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said that it has led to occupation of 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan, more than 1 million of Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs. Azerbaijan supports conflict settlement according to norms of international law, in the frame of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Other way of solution of the conflict is not available”, he emphasized
Then, President Ilham Aliyev answered questions of participants of the meeting.

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The same day, on behalf of the Government of Great Britain a banquet was given in honour of the President of Azerbaijan.

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Official visit of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is in progress.


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