Azerbaijani President: Azerbaijan Has Always Found Turkey Near Itself On Its Difficult Days

ANKARA - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Saturday that Azerbaijan always found Turkey near itself on its difficult days, adding Azerbaijan would always be near Turkey, too.
Aliyev received the same day Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Baku for an official visit. Noting that Turkey-Azerbaijani relations developed successfully and continuously, Aliyev said that ''cooperation in all fields get stronger and this pleases us.''
Recalling that Azerbaijan always felt the support of Turkey regarding Upper Karabakh, which was under Armenian occupation, Aliyev said that OSCE Minsk Group which assumed the role of mediator for a fair solution of the problem should regulate its activities seriously.
''Azerbaijani territories should be saved and one million refugees should return to their territories,'' said Aliyev.
Referring to his contacts in during his last visit to Ankara, Azerbaijani President said that his meetings were pleasing and the development process of the bilateral relations would continue in a positive way.
Gul in his part wished success to the new administration in Azerbaijan and expressed his sorrow over the death of former President Haydar Aliyev.
Noting that he believed that the relations would be further developed with the new administration in Azerbaijan, Gul said regarding Upper Karabakh issue that Turkey provided all sort of support for the peaceful solution of the issue. He added, ''everybody should exert efforts for solution of the problem justly. Turkey will do its best for this. Nobody should have any suspicion.''
Gul added that Armenia was a common problem for Turkey as well.
Gul conveyed the greetings of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his message that he would be pleased to see Ilham Aliyev in Turkey and he stressed one more time that he wished success to new administration.
Ilham Aliyev accepted the invitation of Sezer with pleasure and said that he hoped to pay this visit soon.
Gul will deliver a speech in Baku State University and proceed to Tehran with the accompanying delegation the same day.
(GC-Öª) 10.01.2004