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President Vladimir Putin:

Dear Ilham Geidarovich!

Allow me once more to wish you a warm welcome to Moscow. I am very happy at the opportunity that we have been given by the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress, the meeting of the Azerbaijan diaspora here in Moscow – the chance to meet, to talk, and to discuss our current bilateral problems.

There are many issues, and we regularly meet, which is very pleasing for me. I just talked about the growing trade turnover at the congress, and about expanding humanitarian contacts, but of course this is still not enough, and we must do a great deal more.

We recently met together with the President of Armenia, Robert Sedrakovich Kocharyan. I am certain that today we will have the opportunity to talk together in a relaxed environment about one of the most serious problems in the Caucasus, the problem of regulation in Karabakh.

In general, I am very pleased to see you, and I would like to welcome you once again.

Ilham Aliev: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich. I am also very happy to see you, and I am very happy that our contact is very intensive. Today, speaking at the Azerbaijani Congress, I said that since my election as President, this is my third visit to Russia, to Moscow. And of course, every meeting with you is very productive. We always discuss important issues: regional, bilateral and international problems. And I would also like to note with pleasure that growth can be seen between our countries in all areas, and trade turnover is growing at very swift rates. Even in comparison with the great achievements of 2003, it is also growing this year. There is constant political dialogue between us.

Next year will be very significant, as it will be the year of Azerbaijan in Russia, and 2006 will be the Year of Russia in Azerbaijan.

All these aspects show that there is a very strong mutual desire to further increase the potential and level of our relations in all areas – in the economy, in politics and in the humanitarian field. And this benefits our countries and peoples. The All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress that has been held today once more showed our close our peoples are, and the sincerity, warmth and kind feelings that exist in our mutual relations. We very much hope that in the issue that represents the greatest threat for the region – the Armenian-Azerbaijan problem, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Russia will continue to make serious efforts, both as our neighbour and as the co-chairman of the Minsk OSCE group. And of course, the fact that you took part in the meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan gives us hope that we will be able to make progress on this path.

I would like once more to thank you for such a warm reception, and say that I am certain that our relations will continue to develop successfully.

Mr. Putin: Ilham Geidarovich, I am happy to know that there is a personal aspect of your presence here, in Moscow. Yesterday you attended a very pleasant reception at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, which you graduated from. And I have already been told that you were received very warmly there. I think that this will create an even greater atmosphere of good will for our meeting today.

Mr. Aliev: Of course, more than ten years of my life is linked to this institute. I studied there, then did post-graduate study there and later worked there, and of course every meeting with my friends is very warm and sincere. Especially as I could not miss such an important anniversary as the 60th anniversary of the institute. So this is also an important factor of our bilateral relations, as this is also my personal business.

Mr. Putin: But do you feel yourself to be a Muscovite?

Mr. Aliev: Yes, I do.