| PRESIDENTS ILHAM ALIYEV AND CARLO AZEGLIO CIAMPI MEET IN PRIVATE
Azertag, 24 February 2005
On 24 February, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi met in private.
The Italian President noted that official visit to Italy by national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in 1997 initiated a new stage of relations between the two countries. He said though he had never been to Azerbaijan, but was aware of the reforms implemented in the country especially in the spheres of lawmaking, public administration and modernization of the economy, that according to him, will create a favorable conditions for Azerbaijan's full integration into the European family.
Touching on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr. Ciampi expressed Italy's readiness to contribute to the OSCE Minsk process as a country, which had faced with a similar problem before.
President Ilham Aliyev thanked Mr. Ciampi for the hospitality shown here to the Azerbaijani delegation, and expressed confidence in further development and deepening of the two countries' relations.
The Azerbaijani leader informed this Italian counterpart about consequences of the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, the course of the peace talks in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, and stressed the importance of resolution of the conflicts on the base of the principles of international law.
He also pointed out that Armenia continues to ignore UN Security Council's resolutions on the issue, and underlined the need for reforming the UN by developing new mechanisms to enhance the organization's prestige.
President Ilham Aliyev dwelt on the reforms Azerbaijan is conducting to build legal, democratic and secular state.
The Presidents also spoke of the large-scale energy projects being implemented in Azerbaijan noting successful economic cooperation between the two countries especially in oil sector. They pointed to great possibilities available to expand the cooperation between Italy and Azerbaijan in political, economic and humanitarian spheres.
The parties also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues.
In the end, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev invited his Italian counterpart Azeglio Ciampi to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan that was accepted with pleasure.
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