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.
