OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2009. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met in an expanded format following their private talk.
President Ilham Aliyev said:
- Honorable Mr. President!
Distinguished guests!

Once again I welcome you to Azerbaijan. It is your first official visit to Azerbaijan and, I believe, it will be a success. Documents we will sign and talks we will have during the visit will push the relations between our countries to a new level.

We want the Syrian-Azerbaijan relations expand in all fields, bringing benefit to both countries. I hope your visit will be successful and give a strong boost to our relations.
Welcome once again.
President Bashar al-Assad said:
- Mr. President, I thank you on behalf of myself and my entourage.

We have been shown warm hospitality since our arrival to your country. Since our arrival we have felt that all the doors are open for cooperation between the two countries, and it makes us confident in stronger future of our relations.

In the early 1990s President Heydar Aliyev and Hafiz Assad had big plans concerning development of the bilateral relations. Our countries have strategic position on the world scale. Our countries have friendly and good relations with both countries of the region and our neighbors.

I believe that these relations have a positive impact on our position in general.