Cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan has a long history and already reached the level of strategic partnership, chairman of Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov said at a meeting with Speaker of the State Duma of Russian Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin in Baku.
He expressed confidence that the visit of the delegation of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament to Azerbaijan would give a "tangible impetus" to the development of inter-parliamentary relations between the two countries.
Oktay Asadov stressed that meetings of the heads of state are of great importance for the development of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. "They (Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev -VK) Relations are passed to parliamentarians and the peoples of the two states," the State Duma's website cited the speaker as saying.
"This is while Azerbaijani investments in Russia’s economy amounted to more than $1 billion," he said.
According to Asadov, Russian investments in Azerbaijan’s economy exceeded $4 billion, and there are more than 759 companies from Russia operating in Azerbaijan
He noted that trade turnover between the two countries also significantly increased, adding that this figure amounted to $2.6 billion in 2017, which is 34.43% more than in 2016.
Deputy chairman of the Federation Council of Russia Ilyas Umakhanov said, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted the importance of careful attitude to Russian language in Azerbaijan to maintain a high level of relations between the two countries. "Today, hundreds of teachers, scientists, cultural workers of our countries, including the staff of more than 300 Azerbaijani schools with Russian as the language of instruction, work to preserve the legacy of the common spiritual and educational space. We will never forget Heydar Aliyev's prophetic saying: 'Russian language will always be in Azerbaijan'," the Deputy chairman of the Federation Council of Russia stressed.
Political scientist Rovshan Ibrahimov stressed that the Russian language has an important place in the social, economic and political life of Azerbaijan. "Modern Russian and translated into Russian literature is sold in Azerbaijani bookstores, many media are published in Russian," he recalled.
"Since Azerbaijan gained independence, no Russian-language school in the country has been closed. There is Slavic University in Azerbaijan, there are certain specialties with instruction in the Russian language in other universities. The branches of Russian universities, primarily the Moscow State University branch, operate in the country," Rovshan Ibrahimov underlined, drawing attention to the government's support of the Russian language.
A delegation of Russia’s lower house of parliament led by Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin arrived on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan on June 24. The Russian lawmakers met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The delegation includes Deputy State Duma Speaker Sergey Neverov, Head of the State Duma’s Committee for the Commonwealth of Independent States’ Affairs and Head of the State Duma’s Energy Committee Pavel Zavalny. Today, Volodin visited the Alley of Honors to lay a wreath at the tomb of national leader, founder of modern Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev.
