Official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev to the Republic of France (January 23-27 2001)


The Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev paid his third visit to France on the 23-27th of January, 2001.

On January 24 President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, met the French President Jacque Chirak in Elisee Palace. In the meeting President Jacque Chirak appreciated the gradual development of the relations between France and Azerbaijan based on strong foundations, he expressed his confidence that the official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev would give an incentive to strengthening the beneficial mutual relations between the two countries.

President Heydar Aliyev spoke about the activities of the Minsk Group of OSCE and its co-chairs on the peaceful resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh and stated that he highly appreciated the efforts of France, and particularly of President Jacque Chirak, in the field of solution of the above mentioned conflict.

At the meeting the presidents discussed the situation in the international arena, in the region and other issues. President Heydar Aliyev expressed his disapproval of the documents on «the Armenian genocide» adopted in the French parliament, and criticized it. President Jacque Chirak interested in the complaints of the President Heydar Aliyev, and took them into consideration.

On the same day the French President hosted an official reception in honor of the president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev.

After the meeting and the official reception the Azerbaijani and French Presidents made statements to the journalists in the square in front of the Elisee Palace. Talking about the activities of Minsk Group of the OSCE and its co-chairs on the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh Heydar Aliyev stated that he highly appreciated the efforts done by the French government and President Jacque Chirak for the resolution of the ongoing conflict.

On the same day the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev met Serj Buadve, president of the French-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, vice president of the Chamber Azer Merd and the former French ambassador to Baku Jan Perren. Later President Heydar Aliyev answered to the questions of the Turkish journalists from TRT, TGRT channels, and from the newspaper «SABAH».

On January 25, he attended the ceremony of admission of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe Heydar Aliyev stated: «We appreciate the admission of our republic to the Council of Europe not only as a result of the works or reforms done until now, but also as a support to our country and people. That`s why we believe that a number of problems can be solved only within the European family.»

On the same day President Heydar Aliyev made a speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Azerbaijani people to the members of the PACE and Council of Europe for their support in the admission process of Azerbaijan to this organization. Later he met the Secretary- General of the EC Walter Schwimmer. During the meeting they exchanged views on the perspectives of relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Council and on other issues the both sides interested.

On the same day the Azerbaijani President also met Lord Russell Johnston, chairman of PACE, Indulis Berzins, chairman of the Committee of the Ministers of the European Council and minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Lucius Wildbacher, president of the European Court on Human Rights.

In Strasbourg, in the Europe Palace, chairman of PACE Lord Russell Johnston and chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the European Council Indulis Berzins hosted an official reception in honor of President Heydar Aliyev.

Later a joint press conference of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents was held in the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

On January 26, President Heydar Aliyev had a tete-a-tet meeting with the President of Armenia Robert Kocheryan in Paris. Talking about the solution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh the presidents stressed importance of continuation of the dialogues on the ways for compromise.

While looking through the activities of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE on the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict the presidents emphasized the importance of acceleration of efforts in this direction and affirmed their unanimity on the continuation of direct negotiations within the framework of the Minsk Group.

On the same day a meeting was held among the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, French President Jaque Shirak and the Armenian president Robert Kocharyan. They particularly discussed the peaceful solution of the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh and stressed the inevitability of the continuation of direct meetings between the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents.

In the interview to the journalists in Baku President Heydar Aliyev appreciated his official visit to France as a successful, important and historical for the Azerbaijani people.