President Tokayev meets Azerbaijani leader ahead of SPECA summit

President Tokayev meets Azerbaijani leader ahead of SPECA summit

During a working trip to Baku, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, thanking him for the hospitality and the organization of the first Summit of the United Nations (UN) Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). Tokayev congratulated Aliyev once again on the historic achievement of ensuring the country’s territorial integrity in accordance with international law and UN Security Council resolutions. The leaders discussed prospective and ongoing projects, including building fiber optic communication lines along the Caspian Sea bed, increasing the delivery of Kazakh oil through Azerbaijan, and the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Special attention was given to fortifying cultural and humanitarian ties. Thus, cross-cultural Days of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan will be organized in the near future. Aliyev also invited Tokayev to make a state visit to Azerbaijan next year.

“New projects are emerging. There are no unresolved issues between our countries, since we are strategic partners, almost neighbors across the Caspian Sea. The adoption of the Joint Declaration on strengthening strategic relations and deepening allied cooperation, as well as the establishment of the high interstate council mark historic milestones. I decided to bring a full-fledged delegation to Baku because I believe that today’s meeting will entail comprehensive and intensive discussions with Azerbaijan,” Tokayev shared.

“We are good friends, brothers, and partners. In recent years, there has been a visible dynamic of bilateral contacts evidenced by the official visits between our governments and companies. We are reaching the highest level of cooperation in the entire history of independent development of our countries. This is logical and reflects the spirit and nature of relations between our nations,” Aliyev said.