Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with the delegation led by the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Turkey Ruhsar Pekcan on 2 April.

Welcoming the guests cordially, Madame Speaker said she was certain that their visit would make another contribution to the on-going intensification of the relations between our two countries. She quoted President Ilham Aliyev as having said that the global system of political relations had no alternative to the co-operation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The relations are built on a solid foundation and rooted in the true brotherhood of the two nations. At the same time, the documents that Azerbaijan and Turkey have signed to date form the legal platform for the co-operation.

Madame Chair recalled with emphasis how the brotherly Turkey had stood by Azerbaijan’s side bringing on both political and moral support throughout the 44-day war, and how Azerbaijan appreciated that support. Also, the Azerbaijani public lauded the open defence of Azerbaijan’s just cause by the members of the four political parties in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The arrivals of the Turkish Parliament’s delegations of various statures and their first-hand acquaintance with the situations in the areas subjected to Armenian aggression during the Patriotic War came as embodiment of the ‘one nation – two states’ principle voiced by the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev.

It was said at the meeting also that the bilateral economic relations were on the rise, too, as can be seen from both the volume of trade and the new goals being set. The oil, gas and transport projects implemented by Azerbaijan and Turkey jointly let the two countries to play yet weightier roles in the region now.

Mrs Gafarova then said that the activities of the extended friendship groups in the parliaments of both Azerbaijan and Turkey were compliant with the overall spirit of the bilateral co-operation while the regular meetings of our MPs at various international venues mattered for the discussion of the topics of interest to both sides.

Thanking for the warm welcome, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Turkey Mrs Ruhsar Pekcan expressed her satisfaction both with the visit and the meetings held during it. Her large delegation had had the conversations aimed at the further expansion of the bilateral co-operation in her area of ministerial responsibility, Mrs Pekcan added before remarking that the Turkish people had been exhilarated by Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War.

As was remarked then, Turkish companies intend to become heavily involved in the restoration work done and to be done in the de-occupied provinces as well as to invest in various sectors of the Azerbaijani economy. What with it being a strategic ally to Azerbaijan, Turkey is always by Azerbaijan’s side and will not leave the brotherly Azerbaijani nation without its support from now on, either, according to the Turkish minister.

A Milli Majlis committee chairman and leader of the working group for interparliamentary contacts with Turkey Ahliman Amiraslanov and Tahir Mirkishili who chairs another Milli Majlis committee spoke at the meeting sharing their views of our bipartite relations’ today and tomorrow, as it were.

Chief of the Milli Majlis Staff Safa Mirzayev, MP Mahir Abbaszade, the Ambassador of Turkey in Baku Erkan Özoral and other officials took part in the meeting as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department  

The Milli Majlis