"What we discussed several years ago is already being successfully  implemented": Aliyev to Putin

ArmInfo.Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev began talks in  Astana, the Kremlin press service reports.

"Our cooperation is extensive. I believe we would have plenty to  discuss even if we met every month.  I would like to highlight the  positive development in the key area, which is our trade and economic  cooperation. Our trade volume exceeds US$4 billion, and Russian  direct investments in Azerbaijan's economy amount to US$4.3-4.5  billion.

The trend is positive, with a growth rate of approximately 13 percent  in the first six months of this year. Everything is progressing well.   I would also like to mention our infrastructure plans, particularly  the well-known North-South Transport Corridor, which is our top  priority. I hope we will discuss this further. There are  opportunities in other spheres, too, such as energy and industrial  cooperation.  We act as envisaged in the agreement that you and I  signed back in late 2022. It serves as a strong foundation to develop  relations in all areas.  I would also like to acknowledge the  cultural aspect. I understand that the Days of Russian Culture  recently concluded in Azerbaijan. I appreciate your personal  dedication to supporting the Russian language. There are over 300  schools in Azerbaijan that provide instruction to young people and  children in Russian. This provides a strong foundation with good  prospects for maintaining and advancing our relations in the future.   I am delighted to see you," Putin said.

 " As you mentioned, we have many issues to discuss, but this is how  our meetings work. We meet almost every month - last time, I visited  Moscow in the second half of April, and now we meet again just over a  month later. As you also noted, this shows that we have a lot of  issues to discuss and that they are being addressed successfully. It  is also evident from the growth in trade, both this year and last,  that economic cooperation is thriving.  It is gratifying that mutual  payments in national currencies are also growing, already accounting  for over 70 percent of Azerbaijani's exports to Russia, and about 50  percent of Russian exports to Azerbaijan. This demonstrates that what  we discussed a few years ago is now being successfully implemented.   Humanitarian cooperation has always been at the core of our  relations. I am grateful to you for always noting and appreciating  the widespread attitude towards the Russian language, Russian culture  and literature in Azerbaijan. This has been confirmed once again by  the Days of Russian Culture in Azerbaijan festival, which was a great  success.

About a million students in Azerbaijan are enrolled in  Russian-language programmes, with 150,000 attending Russian schools,  and another 800,000 studying Russian as a second language. In other  words, the future generation of our citizens will have active  interactions with Russia and speak Russian just as we do.  We  discussed the North-South project at our previous meeting in Moscow.   A few positive events have taken place since then, and we will talk  about them. We are determined to expand the transport corridor  infrastructure on the Azerbaijani side. Although it is physically in  place, it is not meeting the plans of our partners and neighbours to  maximise the use of this project.  As you noted, there are new ideas  in the energy sector, and our respective agencies are in touch. We  will also discuss this today, as well as all other areas.  As you  noted, in 2022 we signed the Allied Declaration, which is being  successfully implemented; all the provisions of that declaration are  reflected in real life. We have been working together as allies for  more than two years and achieving good results. Today we will talk  about this in detail.  Thank you again for the opportunity to meet  with you,"  Aliyev said.

Both Putin and Aliyev in Astana will  participating the summit of the  Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). It will be held from July 3  to 4. At the meeting, the leaders of the countries included in the  organization , the Kremlin specified.