Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has had a meeting with the visiting delegation led by Muhammad Hayef al-Mutairi who heads the Kuwait-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary relations group in Kuwait’s National Assembly. Having mentioned the 30^th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations falling due this year, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasised the currently high level of the two-side political links. She said also that there were sound opportunities to further our co-operation in other areas alongside the political ties.

The exceptional role that high-level visits and talks play in the furthering of the bilateral relations was highlighted at the meeting. The foundation for the relations was laid at the meetings of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev and the Emir of Kuwait Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at international events. And as for the official visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Kuwait in 2009, it set a new stage in the development of the bilateral connections.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova pointed up the positive role of the two parliaments in the progress of the bilateral relations, saying that our legislatures co-operated both bilaterally and on the multilateral level. Mrs Gafarova mentioned the reciprocal visits of the Heads of Parliament. There are positive dynamics in the interaction of the friendship groups, too. According to the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, our legislative assemblies also have effective co-operation under way in inter-parliamentary entities. To the co-operation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Co-Operation Members was added the successful collaboration under the aegis of the Non-Aligned Movement’s Parliamentary Network established upon the instance of the President of Azerbaijan.

The leader of the Kuwait-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary relations friendship group in the National Assembly of Kuwait Muhammad Hayef al-Mutairi said our nations have much in common and that our country considered Azerbaijan close to itself. Besides, Azerbaijan is one of the very important countries to Kuwait. Muhammad Hayef al-Mutairi witnessed Kuwait’s interest in furthering the bilateral co-operation, and not only politically but also in other areas. Mr al-Mutairi mentioned the great numbers of Kuwaiti tourists visiting Azerbaijan as he spoke of the forming of positive links in tourism, in particular.

Azerbaijan is a wealthy country with many successes to her name, one of those states around the world that stand out for stability and security, Mr al-Mutairi continued. He touched on the large-scale projects in progress in Azerbaijan, the projects that offer our country rapid development. Besides, Kuwait could benefit from Azerbaijan’s experience in several areas.

Sahiba Gafarova who proceeded to inform the guest of the path of development of our country said that the policy pursued by the esteemed President Ilham Aliyev had made Azerbaijan an independent and democratic country that is advancing comprehensively and is set on an independent foreign political course.

Also, Sahiba Gafarova told the guest of the post-conflict situation in the region and Azerbaijan’s large-scale building and restoration work under way in the de-occupied territories where, she added, the Armenians had destroyed and desecrated all our religious sites and mosques in the 30 years of occupation. Restoring the mosques that the Armenians had demolished in those lands has always been one of the highlights on the agenda of the esteemed President Ilham Aliyev following the liberation of Garabagh, according to Speaker Gafarova.

As he congratulated Azerbaijan on the de-occupation of her lands and restoration of her sovereignty, the head of the friendship group in the Kuwaiti National Assembly remarked that the stance of his country had always been unequivocally supportive of the just cause of Azerbaijan.

Other matters of shared interest were also discussed as the meeting went on.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis