Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
"The current anniversary is a good opportunity to look back at the path that our countries have traveled, sum up results and outline plans for the future," the congratulatory telegram reads.
Ilham Aliyev noted that "for a short period of time we managed not only to preserve and multiply the positive results of the past, but also enter a qualitatively new level of interaction". Today, relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are of strategic nature, based on mutual respect for each other's interests, equality, centuries-old traditions of friendship and good-neighborliness between the peoples of the two countries, he stressed.
Azerbaijani President drew attention to the intensification of political, inter-parliamentary and interdepartmental contacts at all levels, the consistent deepening of cooperation in various fields.
According to him, humanitarian ties play a special role in strengthening friendly and good-neighborly relations. "Azerbaijan has the most tremendous attitude towards the Russian language and Russian culture, carefully preserves the common cultural and historical heritage," the President said.
"We highly appreciate the efforts of the Russian Federation in the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Ilham Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani President expressed confidence that bilateral interstate relations will continue to serve the interests of the peoples of Azerbaijan and Russia.
Ilham Aliyev wished Vladimir Putin good health and happiness, peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Russia.
