Erdogan To Attend Funeral Of Former Azerbaijani President Aliyev

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend funeral of former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev in Azerbaijan on December 15.
Sources said on Saturday that Erdogan would participate in funeral of Aliyev who died in a clinic in the United States, where he had received medical treatment, on Friday.
Erdogan will leave for Baku on Monday for funeral.

FOREIGN MINISTER GUL ISSUES MESSAGE UPON DEMISE OF HAYDAR ALIYEV
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul sent on Saturday a message of condolence to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev upon demise of former President Haydar Aliyev.
In his message, Gul said that he was very sad due to demise of Aliyev and offered his condolences to relatives of Aliyev and Azerbaijani people.
''Today, Azerbaijan, as a distinguished member of international society, is a country which acts as a factor of security and stability in its foreign policy and which is walking on the way of economic development and social prosperity thanks to Aliyev's efforts and farsighted administration,'' he said and stated that demise of Aliyev caused deep sorrow among Turkish people and Azerbaijani people who had historical and cultural ties.
Gul added that Aliyev's efforts for bringing close relations based on mutual friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan to current level would always be remembered.
(EÖ-UK) 13.12.2003