On September 23-24, 2002, Heydar Aliyev paid a working visit to the Russian Federation. During the visit Heydar Aliyev met President Vladimir Putin, minister of Foreign Affairs I.Ivanov, as well as high officials of Moscow government.

After talks with President Putin, a ceremony on the signature of bilateral agreements took place in Ambassador Hall of the Kremlin. The presidents signed the agreement on the division of the adjacent areas of the Caspian bed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.

The agreement on mutual recognition of educational documents between the governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation was signed with the participation of the presidents. During the visit, a ceremony of presenting an honorary doctorate to Heydar Aliyev was held in the great hall of Moscow State Institute of International Relations. President was presented a university honors mark, the honorary doctorate diploma, and a mantle by the university rector.

After his speech, minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation also presented Heydar Aliyev with the ministry’s 200-year anniversary mark, as well as the two-volume work dedicated to the famous Russian diplomats. In his speech Heydar Aliyev spoke about the importance of the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

“90 Instants of the Great leader”, Heydar Aliyev Heritage research center, “Sharq-Qarb”, Baku-2013, p.225