'We Stood By Azerbaijan During Its Difficult Days As It Was Our Binding Duty'

BAKU - Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu has said that Turkey was the first country that recognized Azerbaijan, stressing, ``we stood by Azerbaijan during its difficult days as it was our binding duty.``
Basesgioglu has started his official meetings in Baku on Thursday. Speaking to reporters prior to his meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ali Nagiyev said that closeness between Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples had been stressed with the expression of ``two states of one nation``.
Basesgioglu said that they wanted Azerbaijan to take its deserved place among world states. Noting that former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev had been known as the symbol of peace and stability in the Turkish world, Basesgioglu said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was a leader that would bring Azerbaijan to brilliant future.
Stating that as the ministry, they had been exerting efforts for enhancement of bilateral relations, Basesgioglu said that the ``Administrative Agreement`` they were going to sign would help them implement the Social Security Agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Stressing that working life between the two countries would improve with the agreement, Basesgioglu said that as the ministry, they were ready to extend every necessary assistance and exchange their experiences with Azerbaijan.
Later, Basesgioglu and Nagiyev signed the Administrative Agreement under the Social Security Agreement which includes several social security implementations like mutual protection of social rights of Turkish citizens working in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani citizens working in Turkey.
(MS-AÖ) 06.05.2004