An official reception was hosted in honor of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

President Ilham Aliyev hosted an official dinner in honor of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who paid an official visit to Azerbaijan.

In remarks at the reception, President Ilham Aliyev said:

Distinguished Prime Minister, dear brother, dear guests, dear friends! Dear brother, let me warmly welcome you to Azerbaijan again. Welcome to Azerbaijan.

I have already congratulated you today. In this hall I would like to heartily congratulate you again on a comprehensive victory of the party you are leading in the parliamentary election. Under your leadership Turkey has come a long way in recent years. When you assumed leadership, Turkey was in the grip of problems – it was gripped by the economic and financial crisis. Thanks to your policy, Turkey is a dynamically developing country today. Neither the financial nor the economic crisis in the world have affected Turkey. This is your achievement, the result of your political course. This is very gratifying for us too. Turkey for us is a brotherly, friendly country. The stronger Turkey, the stronger we will consider ourselves.

This year we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of our independence. Turkey was the first country to recognize our independence. In essence, this step opened the way for the recognition of Azerbaijan’s independence by other countries. We have never forgotten and will never forget that. Our nations share a common history, a common culture. Our people have been together for centuries, have supported each other.

Today, Turkey and Azerbaijan successfully cooperate as independent states, and this cooperation has excellent results practically in all the areas. We have the same roots. However, there have been instances in history when nations very close to each other, even countries with the same language do not get along well with each other. Our advantage is that by relying on these strong historical and cultural roots, Turkey and Azerbaijan are currently working in political, economic and all other areas like allies. Over the past 20 years this alliance has gone through great trials. Azerbaijan has always felt and is still feeling Turkey’s support and attention. At the same time, the strengthening Azerbaijan of today also represents support for Turkey. Azerbaijan’s opportunities are growing, and our country is thus contributing to the development of bilateral relations, to common interests.

When we faced the strategic choice relating to energy issues, we, without any doubts and hesitation, made the right choice, and all our key energy routes pass through Turkey. These routes have become a corridor that is already open to traffic. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which we have talked about today, have gone beyond the regional plane and are now of international significance. As is the case with our friendship, brotherhood and cooperation, they no longer fit into the regional level. Our unity, our joint activities are already of global importance in any sphere. Of course, as our countries grow stronger over the years, our influence opportunities will further expand.

Together we provide a very positive impact on the cooperation among Turkic states. In some cases, the initiatives we have put forward serve the unity of the Turkic world. These initiatives are already producing excellent results in political, economic and cultural spheres. The unity of the Turkic world is a very positive development, and both Turkey and Azerbaijan are paying great attention to this issue.

Once again I want to say that our relations cover all the areas. Today we have discussed practically all the issues on our agenda. Not a single issue was left out. We are implementing specific programs and projects in all the areas, are putting forward initiatives.

Our trade is growing, mutual investment is increasing. I have already mentioned at the press conference today that Azerbaijan has started to invest in the Turkish economy. So far more than $4 billion has been invested. In the next few years a further $6 billion will be invested in Turkey’s petrochemical industry alone. At the same time, Turkish companies are investing heavily in Azerbaijan. This shows again how close we are to each other, how much we believe in each other. Otherwise companies would not invest in such volumes.

As a result of the railway project, the whole Turkic world will be joined by a new Iron Silk Way. This road will serve our peoples and, at the same time, connect the continents.

Today we have also discussed issues of energy security of Turkey and Europe. Azerbaijan’s major oil and gas fields are playing a role in Turkey’s energy security, and this role should further expand in the future. I do hope that further important steps will be taken in this direction in the near future.

In other words, while analyzing our relations and their history, we can say again that Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance holds a special place in the world. Perhaps there are no other two countries in the world that would be so similar, so close to each other, that would have so much mutual sympathy and cooperation. This is our greatest asset, a source of great pride. This path was shown to us by our leaders. The statements made by them, the great leaders of the Turkish and Azerbaijani people, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Heydar Aliyev, and their legacy is still the guiding light for us. We are together in both happy and sad moments. We are one nation in two states. This is a bright and illuminated path. We are successfully walking along it path. I wish Turkey and Azerbaijan further progress on this path.

Dear brother, let me warmly welcome you to Azerbaijan again. I wish you and the fraternal people of Turkey further successes. Thank you.

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Speaking afterwards was Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

Dear Mr. President, dear brother Aliyev!

First of all, on my own behalf and on behalf of the delegation I would like to sincerely congratulate you on the 20th anniversary of independence.

As you know, according to tradition, we pay our first foreign visits after the election either to Azerbaijan or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This is how our foreign visits start.

I paid my first visit this year to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 19-20 July on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its independence. Today I am visiting Azerbaijan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of your independence. So we are sharing these two happy events.

But I am happy also because if we compare Azerbaijan of 20 years ago to what it is now, we can see huge changes and development. All the infrastructure work on the road from the airport into the city, the upgraded building facades testify to one thing: this is an important message that, while retaining its culture and history, Azerbaijan is looking to the future.

I am always impressed when the original local architecture is preserved in cities. I have seen this in Baku. And I am very happy to have seen this because, on the one hand, this is evidence of the caring attitude Azerbaijan and Baku have for the past, for history, and, on the other, it is a message to the West in the contest of cultures.

Of course, the West should decide for itself. Here is Baku and here is Yerevan. Yerevan is treading water, its position is known to all. The position of Baku is also known. And any comparisons here are irrelevant. This is the question.

The West should learn a lesson from this. And, having learned it, analyze it with the Minsk Group. But they still find it difficult to conduct such an analysis. They do not provide the owner its rights, and, as you can see, Nagorno-Karabakh is still under occupation and is experiencing difficult times. These lands are awaiting liberation. I do believe that after liberation this land will also experience rapid changes and development thanks to its owners.

Our brotherhood and affection stem from our history and culture. We are very attached to each other and will not allow anyone to harm this affinity. No-one has the right to do that. By strengthening this affinity, we will carry it into tomorrow, and we will succeed. We can do this thanks to the steps we are and will be taking in the military, economic, trade and cultural fields. We are achieving our goals.

Our dear President has just said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway are all harbingers of the future.

In addition to the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, further important work will be conducted within the framework of Shah Deniz-2. Of course, this serves as energy base and reinforces the importance of Turkey. But most importantly, our unity and brotherhood are very important. We will continue to emphasize that in the future.

I want everyone to know that Turkey, in particular, our government, the ruling Justice and Development Party, which has always been together with our Azerbaijani brothers for nine years, will continue to stand by Azerbaijan, our brothers. Let no-one doubt that.

I want to thank my dear brother again. I would like to express special thanks on my own behalf and on behalf of the delegation at this wonderful table, at this reception. Thank you.