Very effective work has been conducted today, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a press-briefing following the fourth Caspian Summit in Astrakhan Sept. 29, Russia 24 TV channel reported.
President Aliyev said an open, very friendly dialogue on important issues of future cooperation in the Caspian Sea has been held.
“President Putin has already pointed out the main issues that we have discussed and resolved today,” the president said. “I do not want to repeat. I believe that the main basis of our successful actions is the close interaction, historically established between our peoples.
Azerbaijan and all Caspian littoral countries have very close, mutually beneficial, friendly, partnership relations. Our people are connected by history. The great value is that we were able to maintain it. At present, we increase the traditions of interaction, mutual support and good neighborliness.”
“The years that have passed since the last summit in Baku in 2010 were effective,” he said. “The agreements reached during the summit in Astrakhan are the result of profound and sincere work.”
“The reason is that if our common political will had not been shown, perhaps, it would’ve been difficult to achieve what we have already achieved,” President Aliyev said. “Today, we’ve made decisions, which can be considered, in some areas, as a significant step forward. These decisions also give us even more confidence that we will resolve all issues related to our interaction in the Caspian Sea.”
President Aliyev said that at different stages of the Caspian countries’ interaction there were various estimates of a probability of reaching the consensus to resolve the fundamental issues of this interaction.
“The discussions, decisions and documents signed at the summit in Astrakhan testify to the fact that the Caspian countries can solve all problems of interaction by political will.
President Aliyev said that the key to security in the Caspian Sea is partnership in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
“Azerbaijan is very pleased that its Caspian Sea neighbors are also good partners among themselves and always support each other. The Caspian countries actively cooperate in international organizations. These positive tendencies must and will certainly continue,” President Aliyev said.
“The Caspian Sea is our common wealth, we cherish it. We should cherish it even better. We should create new opportunities for our countries by our concrete steps, including infrastructure projects and investments,” the president said.
“Our countries’ advantage lies not only in the fact that we are friends and treat each other sincerely. Our advantage is that we are all economically self-sufficient states. Our countries don’t have any serious financial problems, we can and we make large investments in the infrastructure.”
Ilham Aliyev said that Vladimir Putin, in his speech, pointed out the need for further developing the transport infrastructure.
“I, in my speech, highlighted the work carried out in Azerbaijan,” President Aliyev said.
He added that on the next step it is necessary to review the coordination of the activity of the Caspian countries’ transporters, including the coordination of the ports that are being created and those that have already been created.
President Aliyev said this will help to arrange smooth transportation in all directions, both in the north-south direction, which is very promising, and in the east-west direction.
“Azerbaijan is involved in both projects. And we only see the benefit and advantage of such cooperation,” Aliyev added.
He said the issues of security on the Caspian Sea, of course, require special attention.
“I must say that, given the level of cooperation and trust between our countries, each Caspian country at the same time ensures its safety and ensures the safety of its neighbor,” President Aliyev sdded.
In conclusion, the president noted that Azerbaijan is satisfied with the results, documents and agreements reached in Astrakhan, and expressed hope that the next summit will settle those issues that have not yet been addressed.