Azernews.Az

Istanbul hosts XVI Eurasian Economic Summit, organized by the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation. The event is attended by a delegation of Azerbaijan.

Prior to the summit, an event called "A Party of Azerbaijan" was organized by the Azerbaijani side. It was attended by more than 450 representatives from 58 countries - presidents, prime ministers, ministers and other officials. At the party, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Tunzala Agayeva performed songs by Azerbaijani and foreign composers.

Head of the socio-political department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov, read out the address of the President of Azerbaijan, the honorary Chairman of tthe Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation Ilham Aliyev to the summit.

Congratulatory messages of the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova to the participants were read out as well.

Ali Hasanov said in an interview that Azerbaijan takes part in the summit in an expanded format. "At this summit, held for the sixteenth time, we, first of all, advocate the achievements gained by the country in various fields. We establish relations with the countries represented here in the economic, social, communication, transportation, energy, cultural and other fields, and discuss with them various aspects of cooperation in Eurasia. As a result, we provide support for better integration of Azerbaijan into the world. Our country this year, too, presented an original concert program. At upcoming meetings of the sections, our delegation members will make presentations related to the field of information and communication technologies, energy, transport, education and other areas," Hasanov underlined.

In his opening speech, the Chairman of Marmara Group, Professor Akkan Suver noted that the Eurasian Economic Summit, which is attended by visitors from all over the world, brings the current problems of the planet to the agenda. He stressed that, as every year, Azerbaijan this year also takes an active part in the summit.

Speaking at the opening of the summit were the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Cemil Cicek, Macedonian President George Ivanov, President of Albania Bujar Nishani, Minister of Environmental Protection and Forestry of Turkey Veysel Eroglu, the Mayor of Istanbul Huseyin Avni Mutlu and MPs.

Then, the summit was continued in sections. Azerbaijan's Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov, Minister of Education Misir Mardanov spoke in detail about the ongoing reforms in the country in the field of ICT and education achievements. The speakers stressed that thanks to the consistent reforms implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, today Azerbaijan is one of the developed states with a man-made satellite in orbit.

In the section on culture and media, presentations were made by the rector of Baku Slavic University Kamal Abdulla and chairman of the Association of Women Journalists of Azerbaijan Sevil Yusifova.