Official website of the President of Russia

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President Vladimir Putin: Thank you once again for the attention, great honour and time that you are giving us. I remember our last meetings here in Baku and remember how fruitful and interesting they were.

I know how actively you are working now to unite the Muslims of the post-Soviet area and on this basis to unite the peoples of our countries in overcoming the difficulties they face and in developing new opportunities, new areas for cooperation between us that will certainly contribute to more effective development.

For my part I wish to assure you that we are happy overall with the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. Today we see that our cooperation is increasing in practically every area in which we work together — in the economy and at political level.

It is very pleasing to see that the spiritual leaders of our countries have also established very good relations. I have heard about this not only through my meetings with you but also through my conversations and meetings with Patriarch Alexii II.

I am very glad to see that this cooperation between our religious leaders is, without doubt, one of the foundations of the cooperation we have developed at inter-state level.