Azernews.Az

The 4th Global Baku Forum entitled "Towards a Multipolar World" kicked off in Baku on March 10, with participation of President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva.

The two-day forum with an important international topics on agenda brought together seven incumbent presidents, 27 former presidents, one vice-president, 23 former prime ministers, a lot of incumbent and former officials, heads of authoritative international organizations, famous politicians and experts.

Following the Forum, President Ilham Aliyev held several meetings with the high-level guests of the event.

The President first received former President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski. The importance of the Global Baku Forum organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center was emphasized at the meeting.

The sides noted that the excellently organized event was playing a growing role in expanding cooperation between countries. They described the forum as a very good opportunity for world-renowned politicians and influential experts to discuss latest international developments.

President Aliyev also met with President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev, who is attending the 4th Global Baku Forum.

The sides hailed the current level of the bilateral relations and their rapid development in recent years. They emphasized the fact that the bilateral ties reached the level of strategic partnership.

Opportunities for cooperation in investment making, energy, pharmaceutics and other areas were discussed at the meeting. The development of Azerbaijan-European Union relations was hailed, and the Bulgarian president expressed his country`s readiness to make its contribution to the expansion of these ties.

The importance of the 4th Global Baku Forum was underlined, and the presidents said the event created a good opportunity for conducting fruitful discussion. It was noted that the issues on the agenda of the forum were topical and important in terms of the expansion of international cooperation.

Later, President Aliyev received former Foreign Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni.

The sides stressed the excellent organization of the 4th Global Baku Forum held by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. They noted that the forum has already become traditional and that the international interest in the event increases year by year.

During the conversation, the sides underlined that the holding of such forums was of great importance in discussing international issues.

President Aliyev also met with President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili on the sidelines of the Forum.

The successful development of the relations between the two countries in different areas was stressed at the meeting.

They said the execution of the agreements reached and decisions adopted during high-level meetings contributed to the strengthening of the bilateral ties. The presidents emphasized the significance of global projects implemented by the two countries in terms of the expansion of the regional cooperation. They said friendship and good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia had ancient history and traditions. The sides pointed to good opportunities for further enhancing strategic friendly ties.

President Margvelashvili said he was impressed by development processes in Azerbaijan.

The sides noted the excellent organization of the Global Baku Forum held by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. It was noted that the forum created a good opportunity for discussing international and regional issues.

The sides also stressed the importance of the event in terms of the development of cooperation between countries.

On the same day, President Aliyev received member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic.

Ivanic recalled his previous visits to Azerbaijan, participation in the opening ceremony of the first European Games in Baku and meetings with President Aliyev. Expressing his satisfaction with the participation in the 4th Global Baku Forum, he said currently all world countries face completely new challenges, adding the event created a good opportunity for discussing these issues.

Recalling his meetings with Mladen Ivanic, the head of state described these visits as a good sign of the bilateral cooperation. Saying the international importance of the 4th Global Baku Forum increases every year, President Aliyev stressed the significance of the event in terms of discussing a number of issues of common interest.

The sides exchanged views over the issues related to the cooperation between the two countries in a number of fields.

Further, President Aliyev has met with President of the Republic of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov.

It was noted that President Ivanov`s visit to Azerbaijan created a good opportunity for discussing the bilateral ties between the two countries.

The sides hailed an important role of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, and noted that the 4th Global Baku Forum has already become a globally important event. The presidents underlined that the program of the forum covers a wide range of areas, adding it was important in terms of discussing political, economic, energy, security and other issues in the forefront of global attention.

They also exchanged views over the current state and prospects of friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in variety of fields, including energy sector.

President Aliyev also met with President of the Republic of Albania Bujar Nishani.

Saying the 4th Global Baku Forum has already become a big international event, the head of state expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the number of influential guests participating in the event increases.

Expressing his gratitude to President Aliyev for inviting him to the 4th Global Baku Forum, the Albanian President stressed that the event, where representatives of various countries came together, created a good opportunity for discussing a number of important issues facing the world countries. Touching upon the close friendly and partnership relations between the two countries, Bujar Nishani said there were good opportunities for strengthening the cooperation in all areas. Bujar Nishani personally thanked President Aliyev for supporting the development of the bilateral relations and for his friendly attitude to his country. He noted that Albania was interested in developing ties with Azerbaijan.

Noting there are similarities in the history of Albania and Azerbaijan, Bujar Nishani underlined the significance of the two countries` joint activity towards addressing a number of important issues.

Emphasizing that Azerbaijan achieved rapid growth within a short space of time, the Albanian President said it could be an example for the region and other countries. Bujar Nishani hailed President Ilham Aliyev`s supporting a number of important projects, including TAP. The Albanian leader said this project was of vital importance not only for participating countries, but also for entire Europe, Azertac state news agency reported

President Aliyev was interviewed by Euronews channel following the official opening of the fourth Global Baku Forum.

On the same day, a dinner reception was hosted on behalf of President Aliyev in honor of participants of the 4th Global Baku Forum.

The reception was attended by President Aliyev, his wife Mehriban Aliyeva and daughter Leyla Aliyeva, as well as presidents of Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, former heads of state and government of several countries, world-renowned public and political figures, experts and specialists.

Addressing the event, former President of Latvia, co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center Vaira Vike-Freiberga thanked President Aliyev for creating excellent conditions to discuss current global issues and for his strong support for international dialogue.

She pointed to the fact that First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva supported the activities of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. Hailing the importance of the forum, which is held for the fourth time, the former Latvian President expressed her hope that it would continue to be held.

Expressing his gratitude for the warm words about Azerbaijan, President Aliyev recalled his visits to Latvia during Vaira Vike-Freiberga's years of presidency, and her visits to Azerbaijan.

The head of state noted that the Global Baku Forum was attended by representatives of a number of countries, prominent figures, current and former presidents, people who played and continue to play an important role in international relations. Aliyev said the Nizami Ganjavi International Center has become one of the world`s most respected international organizations, which engages in addressing the issues of global importance.

"We are delighted that the center is named after Azerbaijan's great son Nizami Ganjavi. Every Azerbaijani is proud of him," said President Ilham Aliyev. The head of state added that the center fulfills an important mission of conveying Nizami Ganjavi's views to the people in different parts of the world.

Hailing the discussions held as part of the forum as fruitful, the President noted that “only through joint efforts we can eliminate the threats existing in the world”.

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