By Vestnik Kavkaza
This week during the press conference “Dagestan: Foundations of Security and Interregional Cooperation in the Caspian Area of Russia. Socio-Economic Development” the head of the republic Ramazan Abdulatipov stated that one of the priority directions in the development of Dagestan is close economic and cultural cooperation with Azerbaijan.
“After my meeting with Ilham Aliyev, we initiated several projects. For example, Azerbaijan is reconstructing Heydar Aliyev Street in Derbent. With Azerbaijani aid we will build a sports center. There are several good commercial projects, including development of the glass industry. They have the Diplomatic Academy, and they are ready to teach our young people for free there,” Ramazan Abdulatipov speaks about joint projects. As for the cultural sphere, he stresses that the Dagestanis and the Azerbaijanis are historically common nations with similar roots, culture, and so on: “Even if there are certain problems, they should be solved not by rhetoric, but by joint work. I have never heard that the President Azerbaijan has ever said “No!” It also concerns learning the Lezgin language and culture. These problems can be settled through signing treaties and agreements. And we are working on this.”
Abdulatipov also stated that Dagestan closely cooperates with Azerbaijan in development of sport, in which Azerbaijan has achieved great results in recent years: “It concerns wrestling. Abbas Aydynovich Abbasov used to be the president of the Federation. I remember how happy we were when an Azerbaijani became the Olympic champion for the first time in Sydney. We were there together with Abbas Abbasov and Ilham Aliyev. Today Azerbaijan has many champions. An Azerbaijani wrestler took the bronze medal in the world championship in Tashkent this year. We always invite Azerbaijani athletes to our competitions. In the near future we will hold a major volleyball championship for the Rasul Gamzatov Prize, and of course we will invite Azerbaijani volleyball players.”