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President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu held a one-on-one meeting in Baku on December 13, Azertac reported.

President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva greeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu then posed for official photos.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the issues related to the development of ties between the two countries.

Following the one-on-one meeting between Azerbaijan’s President and Israel’s Prime Minister, a ceremony of signing documents between Azerbaijan and Israel was held.

An agreement on cooperation in standardization, conformity assessment and metrology between the Government of Azerbaijan and the State of Israel was signed by Ramiz Hasanov, chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patent, and Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

Meanwhile, an agreement on cooperation in agricultural sphere between the Government of Azerbaijan and the State of Israel was signed by Azerbaijan’s Agriculture Minister Heydar Asadov and Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

A convention on the avoidance of double taxation with respect to income taxes and for the prevention of tax evasion between the Government of Azerbaijan and the State of Israel was signed by Azerbaijan’s Taxes Minister Fazil Mammadov and Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

Moreover, a memorandum of understanding on creation of a joint commission between the Government of Azerbaijan and the State of Israel was signed by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

Following the ceremony of signing documents, President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made press statements.

President Ilham Aliyev once again welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan.

"I am very glad to host you in our country. You visited Azerbaijan almost 20 years ago and now it is a second visit of yours. Though it is a short visit, it is very productive. Definitely, the visit will strengthen bilateral ties between our countries," said Ilham Aliyev.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Israel cooperate in many areas.

"The documents signed today clearly show that we have very big potential for cooperation. All the documents are very important. Among them I would like to underline the importance of the document, which will allow us to create a joint economic commission, which is a very efficient mechanism of bilateral cooperation. I’m sure it will help to increase trade turnover and to diversify it. Though, trade turnover is at the good level, but mainly because of the oil supplies from Azerbaijan to Israel. We need to work in order to diversify and increase it," he said.

Ilham Aliyev went on to add that he discussed with PM Netanyahu a very broad range of issues concerning the two countries' bilateral relations, regional development.

"The discussions were very open, friendly and will help us to strengthen our bilateral ties," said President Aliyev.

"We have very good prospects for cooperation in agriculture. We discussed it with Mr. Prime Minister. Israel has modern technologies. Some of them we are using, and some of them probably will come to Azerbaijan later. There are good prospects for cooperation in that area," said Ilham Aliyev.

He further said that tourism is one of the areas of potential development between Azerbaijan and Israel.

"I am sure that the direct flight between Israel and Azerbaijan will help us to see the growing number of tourists in both directions. Cooperation in the area of education has very great potential," he said.

"Also we actively cooperate in the area of defense industries and this cooperation lasts already for many years. I’ll just bring you one figure to illustrate how broad this cooperation is. So far the contracts between Azerbaijani and Israeli companies with respect to purchasing defense equipment has been close to five billion dollars. More precisely, 4,850,000,000 dollars. The biggest part of these contracts has already been executed and still we continue to work on that. And we are very satisfied with the level of this cooperation," noted the president.

Ilham Aliyev further said that the sides discussed the people-to-people contacts.

"This is an important part of our bilateral cooperation because Jews in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani diaspora in Israel, which consists mainly of Jews from Azerbaijan, is an important factor of our bilateral relations. For centuries, Jews and Azerbaijanis have lived in peace, friendship and continue to live here in Azerbaijan. And the Jewish community in Azerbaijan is a very active part of our society, they contribute a lot to the development of modern Azerbaijan and these close relations between our people is a very important factor in our bilateral relations," the president said.

The president went on to inform that there are seven synagogues, five of them in Baku, Jewish schools in Azerbaijan. One of them, Chabad Ohr Avner educational center, according to the president, was inaugurated in 2010.

"I remember that day because I was there at the inauguration ceremony, and the late President Shimon Peres made a video address to us. I am glad that Mr. Prime Minister has time in his tight schedule to visit that educational center and also to meet representatives of the Jewish community," President Aliyev recalled.

He went on to say that the relations between Jews and Azerbaijanis have always been very good, during all the times.

"Jews have lived in Azerbaijan for centuries. It’s their home, they feel themselves at home, and they do a lot in order to strengthen our country. This was during the times of the Tsarist Russia when Azerbaijan was part of Russian Empire, this was during Soviet Union times and now for 25 years of independence relations between the people, all the people who live in Azerbaijan is a good example of multiculturalism, mutual respect, and respect for each others’ traditions, religion. I always say that respect for your own religion and tradition starts with respect for traditions and religions of your neighbor," Ilham Aliyev said.

He reminded that 2016 was declared the year of multiculturalism in Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan is recognized in the world as one of the international centers of multiculturalism. I am glad that our citizens, our former citizens – Jews who live now in Israel – keep close ties with Azerbaijan. They help us, they promote us. We have diaspora organizations in many countries, but only in Israel our diaspora consists of people of Jewish origin. This also shows unity between Jews and Azerbaijanis," said the president.

He said that the relations between Azerbaijan and Israel are very broad, diversified, and cover many areas.

"I mentioned some of them. And I am sure that the visit of Mr. Prime Minister will allow us to discover new areas of cooperation. We have established very close, friendly relations and the visit of the Prime Minister is a good indicator of that," Ilham Aliyev said.

He expressed hope that PM Netanyahu's next visit to Azerbaijan will come earlier than in 20 years.

President Aliyev further hailed his country`s cooperation with Israel in the area of defense industry. “We actively cooperate in the area of defense industry and this cooperation lasts already for many years,” he told a joint press conference.

“So far the contracts between Azerbaijani and Israeli companies with respect to purchasing defense equipment has been close to five billion dollars... The biggest part of these contracts has already been executed and still we continue to work on that. And we are very satisfied with the level of this cooperation.”

President Ilham Aliyev also hailed people-to-people contacts between Azerbaijan and Israel. “This is an important part of our bilateral cooperation because Jews in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani diaspora in Israel, which consists mainly of Jews from Azerbaijan, is an important factor of our bilateral relations. For centuries, Jews and Azerbaijanis have lived in peace, friendship and continue to live here in Azerbaijan.” “And the Jewish community in Azerbaijan is a very active part of our society, they contribute a lot to the development of modern Azerbaijan and these close relations between our people is a very important factor in our bilateral relations,” the Azerbaijani President added.

Benjamin Netanyahu, in turn, has hailed changes that have taken place in Azerbaijan in the past two decades.

“As we landed today I could see from the air the tremendous changes, the tremendous development that has taken place in Azerbaijan in these two decades,” he told a joint press conference.

“I want to commend you for your leadership and the fact that you see partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan as part of that leap into the future.”

Benjamin Netanyahu hailed cooperation between Israel and Azerbaijan, particularly in energy sector. “We have so many areas where we are cooperating and can cooperate to benefit of our peoples. We obviously have robust relationship in energy.”

“Now we are talking about not just the sale of Azerbaijani oil to Israel, which is a very important part of our oil imports. We are talking about using common facilities for export of gas and linking Israel`s gas exports potentially to a great pipeline that is being built from Azerbaijan to Turkey. This is obviously something that can strengthen both our economies. Energy is just one field where we are cooperating,” the Israeli Prime Minister added.

The PM further praised the attitude to Jews in Azerbaijan.

“Israel is a Jewish state. Azerbaijan is a Muslim state, it has a predominately Muslim population. Here you have an example of Muslims and Jews working together to secure a better future for both of us. It is an example that shines against a background of intolerance and lack of acceptance and mutual respect in our time.”

He said respect shown to Jews in Azerbaijan over the years fostered the very strong bond of sympathy and admiration for Azerbaijan.

“The world sees so much intolerance, so much darkness. And here is an example of what relations can be and should be between Muslims and Jews everywhere,” Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Later, President Aliyev and Prime Minister Netanyahu have had a joint working dinner.

The president and the PM then arrived at Shafag residence, where in August, 1997, the Israeli Premier met with national leader Heydar Aliyev during his visit to Baku.

President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posed for photographs.