Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 19 October with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan Gurbanmammet Elyasov.

An exchange of greetings was followed by Sahiba Gafarova congratulating Gurbanmammet Elyasov on the beginning of his diplomatic posting in our country and said she was certain that the Azerbaijani-Turkmen relations would continue progressing during his ambassial tenure. Azerbaijan’s bonds with the brotherly Turkmenistan rest on the shared culture, history and language as well as the nations’ linkage. Azerbaijan attaches a great importance to furthering her all-encompassing relations with Turkmenistan, with our diplomatic relations turning thirty years in 2022.

Then, Mrs Gafarova touched upon the vast role of the high-status reciprocal visits in the advancement of our relationship which rests on a legal foundation made up of more than a hundred inter-state and inter-governmental documents inked to date. Amongst them is one of utmost significance for our all-embracing connexions, namely, the declaration of bilateral strategic partnership.

The two parliaments’ contributions to the progress of the Azerbaijani-Turkmen links were brought up as well. Mrs Gafarova recalled fondly her meeting with Chair of the Mejlis (Assembly) of the Turkmen Milli Geňeş (parliament) Gulshat Mammedowa as she had had come to Azerbaijan for the Baku Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement’s Parliamentary Network in July this year. Besides, Sahiba Gafarova underscored the significance of the work done by the inter-parliamentary relations groups in the context of the evolution of the legislatures’ association. She said that the periodical two-way visits pushed the inter-parliamentary connexions forth and more – they bore well on our interaction in other areas, too.

Sahiba Gafarova also talked about how Azerbaijan had de-occupied her own lands at the 44 days’ Patriotic War and, while at it, had enforced the pertaining resolutions of the UN Security Council. Double standards used in the system of international relations, Azerbaijan’s efforts to achieve peace and Armenia’s fruitless provocations were mentioned as well. Azerbaijan is keen on signing a peace accord with Armenia as soon as practically but Armenia’s provocations obstruct and delay the peace process, according to Mrs Gafarova.

The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan Gurbanmammet Elyasov said he was glad of his appointment to our country, thanked Sahiba Gafarova for the congratulations and commended the co-operation going between our parliaments. He shared his impressions of a trip taken to Shusha and described the latter as an ancient cultural oasis. He had found out about the work already done and to be done yet in the liberated territories, Mr Elyasov added.

Turkmenistan finds it essential to bolster her relations with the brotherly Azerbaijan further; those relations are greatly promoted also by the parliamentary interaction and relations, in the opinion of the Turkmen ambassador.

Mr Elyasov, too, brought up the subject of the deep historical roots and unity of moral and cultural values uniting our peoples. He said then that he intended to make every possible effort during his tenure in Azerbaijan to make sure that the relations progressed.

The Chair of the Milli Majlis praised the fact that the Ambassador spoke Azerbaijani. That showed the great love for the Azerbaijani culture and language, in her opinion.

Other matters of joint interest were also talked about as the meeting progressed.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis