Today, an official welcome ceremony was held for German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Baku, who arrived on an official visit to Azerbaijan yesterday evening.
A guard of honor was arranged for the German President in the square, decorated with the national flags of both countries.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva welcomed President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender. The chief of the guard of honor reported to the German President.
The national anthems of Germany and Azerbaijan were played. The guard of honor marched to the accompaniment of a military march. The heads of state posed for official photographs.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender visited the Alley of Martyrs in Baku to pay tribute to Azerbaijani heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and territorial integrity - they laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument. The guests enjoyed a panoramic view of Baku.
Later, the one-on-one meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Frank-Walter Steinmeier has commenced.
"I'm sure that visit of German President to Azerbaijan will give a new boost to our bilateral ties. This is the first official visit of the President of Germany to Azerbaijan in the history of our bilateral relations, and I am confident that the outcomes of this visit will bring our countries even closer together," Ilham Aliyev said.
In turn, the President of Germany thanked his Azerbaijani counterpart.
"It is good to be back in Baku to have the opportunity for a very extended exchange. Karabakh is Azerbaijan. We have always said that this is your [Azerbaijani] territory and today we confirm this position of Germany," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.
Following talks, the two leaders have made press statements.
"In January-February, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Germany nearly tripled. We intend to increase the production capacity of renewable energy sources to 6 gigawatts by 2030 through foreign investments, and this is entirely realistic. A portion of this will be exported to Europe," Ilham Aliyev said.
