The parliamentary delegation led by Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova and in the Swiss Confederation on an official visit currently have met with Vice President of the country Alain Berset on 11 May.

Alain Berset gave the Azerbaijani delegation a warm welcome before witnessing his satisfaction with the fruitful advance of the bilateral relations in the political, economic, energy and other fields. Switzerland regards Azerbaijan a tremendous partner and supports her territorial integrity without fail, Mr Berset added.

He also recalled with pleasure his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in January 2018 when he himself was President of the Swiss Confederation. The positive dialogue of the heads of states generates an impulse behind the deepening of the ties between the countries they lead, in the opinion of Mr Berset.

Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova thanked for the hospitality extended to her and her delegation before describing Azerbaijan and Switzerland as amicable countries and partner-states whose high-ebb political connexions favour a continued expansion of their co-operation in diverse areas. The high-status visits and meetings hold an exceptional place in the progress of the bilateral relations, Mrs Gafarova added.

The current economic interaction was referred to as well. As she spoke about it, Sahiba Gafarova mentioned the opportunities of a continued strengthening of our relations – the opportunities that are there thanks to mutual investments, co-operation of Azerbaijani and Swiss business and industrial enterprises and meetings as well as joint business forums. Mrs Gafarova mentioned the Swiss investments put in the energy and non-oil sectors of Azerbaijan, saying then that a beneficial and spacious investment environment had been created in our country.

The global energy and transport projects initiated and participated by Azerbaijan were mentioned as well, as was Azerbaijan’s part in keeping up the energy security of Europe. Mr Berset was told that Azerbaijan had become a formidable transport hub.

As for the humanitarian co-operation, the values shared by both our nations are playing an immense role in its advancement. Besides, our joint endeavours could be made stronger by arranging joint cultural events and combining forces in sciences and education, according to Sahiba Gafarova.

The Azerbaijani-Swiss relations setting high standards generate ample opportunities for the collaboration between the legislative assemblies of the two countries. The contacts amongst the parliaments, their productive dialogue and their interaction under the aegis of international organisations make it possible to broaden those connexions further. Mrs Gafarova said she was certain that her first visit to Switzerland as Chair of the Milli Majlis and the meetings held during that visit were going to contribute to the progress of our inter-parliamentary relations across the board.

The victory of our country in the Patriotic War, the situation after the restoration by Azerbaijan of its territorial integrity and the steps being taken towards normalisation of the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia were brought up, too. Sahiba Gafarova said that Armenia had looted the whole material heritage of our nation once situated in the lands Armenia had captured; Armenia had also destroyed all of our towns, villages and mosques there. So, right now, Azerbaijan is busy with precisely restoring and rebuilding its de-occupied provinces; large-scale projects are initiated with that purpose in mind. All the towns and villages are being built from scratch. A propos, the fact that Swiss companies are involved in those initiatives is a pledge of the continued deepening of the relations between the two states, said the leader of the Azerbaijani legislative assembly.

Other matters of interest to both sides were talked over during the conversation as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis