PRESIDENT ALIYEV: AZERBAIJAN’S LARGEST INVESTMENTS TO BE IN TURKEY
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2013
14 November 2013, 17:27 (GMT+04:00)
By Aynur Jafarova
Ankara hosted the 3rd session of Azerbaijan-Turkey high-level strategic
cooperation council on November 13.
As part of his first official visit to a neighboring country,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the meeting with Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The sides hailed the bilateral relations in a variety of fields,
particularly in politics, economics, and energy.
The Azerbaijani president and the Turkish Premier stressed the
importance of implementing joint projects.
They also noted the significance of furthering cooperation between
the relevant ministries of the two countries.
After the meeting, the two countries signed several documents,
particularly a declaration on the results of the Azerbaijan-Turkey
high-level strategic cooperation council.
The documents signed between the two countries also included a protocol
in the field of science and technology, a Memorandum of Understanding
on strengthening science, technology, industry and entrepreneurship, an
agreement on international combined cargo transportation, a cooperation
agreement on security, an agreement on mutual activities of workforce,
and a cooperation agreement on labor, social security, and employment.
Following the signing ceremony, President Aliyev and the Turkish
Prime Minister held a joint press conference.
The Azerbaijani president said that Azerbaijan will abolish visas
for certain categories of Turkish citizens.
“We have decided that at the first phase, the visa-free entry of
Turkish citizens to Azerbaijan will be ensured on the basis of a
list which will be compiled by the Ministry of Economy,” President
Aliyev said.
He also stressed that every country, including Azerbaijan, has its
visa policy.
“However, the visa-free regime will be imposed as an exception for
scholars, athletes, businessmen, famous people, and Turkish citizens
closely related to Azerbaijan,” the president said. “This issue will
be resolved soon, and I am sure there will be no need to talk about
these issues in the future.”
The president went on to say that the 21st century will be the century
of the Turkic world, and Azerbaijan and Turkey have undertaken the
leadership in this direction.
“I am very happy to be back in fraternal Turkey. I am very grateful
for your congratulations on the presidential elections. And naturally,
after the presidential elections, my first official visit by tradition
was to Turkey. This is a tradition. We have created this tradition,
and I am sure that those who will succeed us will remain loyal to it,”
the Head of Azerbaijani State said.
According to President Aliyev, two issues were resolved during the
meeting, demonstrating that Azerbaijan and Turkey’s respect, love
and commitment towards each other are so strong that any issue can
be easily settled.
President Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Turkey should develop interstate
relations, cultural ties and also relations between entrepreneurs.
The president went on to note that Turkey was the first country that
recognized Azerbaijan’s independence.
“From that day on we have been constantly feeling the Turkey’s
support. This gives us additional strength. We always rely on Turkey
and trust it, especially where a very important issue is concerned
-the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” President Aliyev
said. “We are confident that Turkey will always be on our side in
this matter. As you know, for many years, our lands have been under
occupation. Four UN Security Council resolutions are not fulfilled,
and the injustice continues. Today, in some cases, they speak about
the inaction of the Security Council, that is, it is accused of not
taking decisions. However, in our case a decision has been made,
but there are simply no mechanisms to implement it”.
According to him, Azerbaijan should be even stronger to restore its
territorial integrity.
“We will do it. We are working on these issues, and the
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations strengthen us further,” President
Aliyev added.
The Head of State noted that seeing the development of Turkey’s
defense industry made a strong impression on him yesterday.
“Today Turkey is an international authority in this sphere too. The
military equipment manufactured in Turkey meets the highest standards
of the world,” President Aliyev said.
According to the president, the common history and cultural ties that
link Azerbaijan and Turkey are the solid foundation of their relations.
“We are constructing a beautiful building on this foundation, and
as my dear brother noted, there are large multinational projects in
this building. We did not just limit our work to the transportation
of Azerbaijan’s oil to Turkey by building the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline. This was the opening of a corridor, thanks to which
large-scale projects are carried out today,” the Azerbaijani President
said.
President Aliyev congratulated the Turkish Prime Minister on the
realization of the Marmaray project.
“This is your historical merit. It will forever remain in the history
among the works, which you do for the Turkish people,” he said. “While
implementing this project, you connected the continents to each other,
brought people together and provided long-term profits for Turkey.
Naturally, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is also an integral part of
this great project”.
President Aliyev noted that great things await Azerbaijan and Turkey
in the future. The implementation of the TANAP project will completely
change Europe’s energy map, and Turkey and Azerbaijan will play a
role in it.
According to him, the TANAP project is one of the largest energy
projects in the world, and Turkey and Azerbaijan have undertaken the
responsibility, and political and financial burden.
“With our joint efforts, we demonstrated a leadership in this regard
too,” President Aliyev said.
President Aliyev also touched upon the issue of mutual investments,
calling it a great indicator.
The largest investments Azerbaijan has made and will make in the
future are the investments in Turkey, President Aliyev said.
“The investments that are made in Azerbaijan accelerate our economic
development. These are investments made on the basis of mutual trust,
friendship, and brotherhood. The ongoing projects confirm my remarks
when I say that brotherhood is the basis of our relationship.
Brotherhood and friendship are unbreakable and unshakable. The 21st
century will be the century of the Turkic world. In this regard,
the role of leadership was undertaken by Turkey and Azerbaijan. I
am confident that we will continue to attain great success with our
joint efforts.” President Aliyev concluded.
Turkish Premier Erdogan, in turn, said that his country aims to
increase the trade turnover with Azerbaijan up to $15 billion.
Erdogan said at present the trade turnover between the countries
has reached $4.2 billion and this figure is expected to increase to
$15 billion.
He also said that Turkey and Azerbaijan are implementing strategically
important economic projects, and they are expected to develop in
the future.
“The Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline project is one of the most important
economic projects of Azerbaijan and Turkey,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish PM also said that the issues discussed between the two
countries included the construction of a gas pipeline from Turkey’s
Igdir province to Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and the
construction of a railway from this province in Turkey to Nakhchivan.
He also touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
and said that Ankara will continue to support Azerbaijan in this
regard.
“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is as significant for Turkey as it is
for Azerbaijan; it represents a problem for Ankara too,” the Turkish
PM said.
“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the main issues of Turkish
foreign policy. It is impossible for Ankara not to pay attention to
this matter,” Erdogan said.
Turkish PM said Ankara will continue to provide unconditional support
to Azerbaijan to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The OSCE Minsk Group has a great responsibility for the settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Erdogan said.
The Turkish PM went on to add that the political relations between
Azerbaijan and Turkey are at a perfect level and there are no problems
between the two countries.