Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow had a meeting

President Ilham Aliyev met with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow who arrived on a visit to Baku to attend the Summit of Heads of State of Caspian Countries.

President Ilham Aliyev welcomed President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev greeted the President of Turkmenistan, noting his content of welcoming the President in Baku:

- Dear Mr. President,

I am delighted to greet you. I cordially welcome you on Azerbaijan soil. I am very pleased that you joined us. We will hold the Summit of Heads of State of Caspian littoral countries. This will be a great opportunity to discuss bilateral issues one more time and to exchange views on regional problems. We are very pleased with development of our relations. These relations rest on friendship, brotherhood and mutual support. I am confident that we will continue to develop actively our cooperation. Common roots of our peoples, common history, and mutual relations of centuries connect us together. It is a gratifying thing that Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have achieved great successes while our countries were developing successfully. Our countries progress successfully. They are countries that possess strong economy and are self-sufficient. We hope that we will observe prosperity, progress and mutual activities on issues of bilateral character. I greet you cordially once again. Welcome!

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow expressed his gratitude:

- Dear Ilham Heydarovych,

Thank you for warm remarks about Turkmenistan. We are grateful for your invitation to attend today’s Summit of Heads of State of Caspian littoral Countries in your beautiful, rejuvenating Baku city and your amazing country. We always say that the Caspian Sea is a sea of peace and good neighborhood. You were right when you said that we have very ancient traditions as good neighbors; our ancestors gave us exhorted good admonitions to us. Perhaps, today’s pivotal problem is to hand all this culture, history, and national characteristics over to the growing generation. In general, I would also like to express my gratitude to You for our similar positions on the world arena, that we understand each other in world policy, that thanks to mutual understanding on these issues, we cooperate in the framework of international organizations, including the UN.

Regarding our bilateral relations, there are great tendencies in trade-economic relations and of course, as you have mentioned, our relations in social-humanitarian sphere are great. It is a pleasing fact that the days of Azerbaijan passed in a great atmosphere in Turkmenistan last year. Just recently Azerbaijan hosted the days of Turkmenistan. Our intergovernmental commission boosts these initiatives. The following meeting of the intergovernmental commission will take place in Turkmenistan in a week. That is why, I believe that if any working questions occur, commission will be able to resolve these on their level. Using this opportunity, I would like to congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on Gurban holiday. Gurban holiday is a sacred holiday for all of us, for all Muslim nations. I extend my best wishes to the people of Azerbaijan; I wish them prosperity. Taking this opportunity, I would like to invite you to hospitable Turkmenistan at your discretion. Thank you!

President Ilham Aliyev: - Thank you. I would use this invitation to visit the brotherly state with pleasure. I would like to ask you to extend my warmest greetings – peace, progress, welfare wishes to the people of Turkmenistan. I congratulate You and fraternal people of Turkmenistan on Gurban holiday, on our common holiday. This holiday connects our peoples and I am pleased that you visited Azerbaijan on this holiday. This manifests the level of relations between us and our peoples.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow: This is a great harbinger for future.