CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, July 31. Today, together with you, we have raised our interstate relations to the highest level, once again demonstrating our joint desire to strengthen our cooperation, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during a press statement with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov, TurkicWorld's special correspondent reports.
Statement by President Ilham Aliyev
-Dear Sadyr Nurgozhoevich.
Dear friends.
First of all, I would like to once again express my gratitude to you, dear Mr. President, for the invitation to pay a state visit to Kyrgyzstan and for the traditional hospitality extended to me on the brotherly land of Kyrgyzstan. Today, together with you, we have raised our interstate relations to the highest level, once again demonstrating our joint desire to strengthen our cooperation.
Allied relations entail great responsibility, and we are prepared to shoulder it. We will continue to support each other in all undertakings: on international platforms, in the trade and economic sphere, and in strengthening security.
As you noted, the package of documents signed today demonstrates the broad scope of our interaction. I am confident that, as a results of my visit, the agreements reached will be implemented as successfully as all previous agreements.
Today, we agreed to double the capital of the Joint Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan investment fund to 200 million US dollars. I am confident that this is also not the limit, because the presentation we received on the Fund’s activities indicates that it is being filled with concrete substance. A great number of projects are being implemented in Kyrgyzstan, creating joint ventures, new jobs, and strengthening the economic potential of our interaction.
Furthermore, today we will join our colleagues in the opening of the Baku Hotel, which is also a joint decision of ours. We are very pleased and proud that the first five-star hotel on the shores of Issyk-Kul has been constructed with funds from the Azerbaijani government and bears the name “Baku.”
We also invariably express our gratitude for the assistance in the reconstruction of Garabagh. Together with you, we participated in the opening of the Manas school in the Aghdam district, which was a major contribution by the Kyrgyz people to the restoration of Garabagh, which remained under occupation for 30 years.
We have so much that binds us together in terms of history, culture, and our respect for the outstanding representatives of our peoples. Together, we also unveiled a monument to Chingiz Aitmatov in Baku and a park bearing his name. These places, too, are closely connected with the life and legacy of Chingiz Aitmatov. Today, we held our meeting in a house associated with him, with his portrait displayed on its walls. All of this reflects our mutual aspiration to grow closer to one another.
I also will not forget how a few years ago we jointly opened the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Friendship Park in Bishkek. This is also a symbol of our joint cooperation in the capital.
The humanitarian ties we discussed today, cultural events, the Days of Culture of Kyrgyzstan in Azerbaijan and of Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan— all of this creates a positive atmosphere and once again demonstrates how close our peoples are, bound by common roots and united within a number of international organizations.
I would like to express special gratitude to you, as well as to all other presidents of the Central Asian countries, for including Azerbaijan as a full member of the Consultative Meeting of the Central Asian States, which is now called the Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. And the next meeting will take place literally in a short while. Once again, I express my gratitude for such a benevolent attitude, and once again for this high award.
For my part, I would like to invite you to pay another state visit to Azerbaijan at a time convenient for you. Thank you for your attention.
