(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17. Speaker of the
Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has met with President of
the National Assembly of People's Power of the Republic of Cuba
Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez during her working visit to that
country, Trend reports.
Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez welcomed the head of the Azerbaijani
legislature warmly and thanked her for her participation in the
G77+China Group Summit that had taken place in Cuba.
The friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Cuba were mentioned, as
clearly evidenced by the cordiality with which Cuban Vice President
Salvador Antonio Valdes Mwas welcomed as he visited Azerbaijan
this year. The number of official visits from Cuba to Azerbaijan
has increased in recent years, and this year the diplomatic
relations between the two countries turn 31 years. Azerbaijan and
Cuba are united by traditional ties of friendship and have good
political ties despite the geographical distance between them,
according to Mr Hernández who highlighted his country's
appreciation of Azerbaijan's support for Cuba in international
organisations.
Mentioning the centenary of Heydar Aliyev celebrated in
Azerbaijan this year, Mr Hernández recalled the friendly ties
between the Great Leader and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Cuban students who studied in Azerbaijan in 1970-80s were mentioned
as well as another token of the friendship between our peoples. The
opening of Azerbaijan's embassy in Cuba was also mentioned; it had
been welcomed by the Cuban side as a fact contributing to the
progress of relations.
The Cuban Government is interested in developing relations with
Azerbaijan, especially as there is a great potential here including
fine opportunities for co-operation in health care, agriculture and
other areas. The Cuban Parliament will spare no effort to support
this interaction; steps will be taken to develop
inter-parliamentary relations in this regard. Visits between
parliamentary friendship groups and the expansion of ties – in
general and between the committees of the two parliaments - are
possible too.
Expressing gratitude for the hospitality she had received,
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasised the
importance of the summit held in Cuba, adding that the G77 is an
important platform for promoting multilateral co-operation and
mutual support among the member states of the Group. Mrs Gafarova
also expressed confidence that her visit to Havana will serve to
strengthen friendship between our countries and their peoples
further.
Azerbaijan and Cuba always support each other in international
organisations in general and in the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement
in particular. For instance, Cuba has always voted for the
initiatives of Azerbaijan as the NAM Chair. Also mentioning the
Azerbaijani-Cuban collaboration in the NAM Parliamentary Network,
Mrs Gafarova referred to the fact that Vice President of the
National Assembly of Cuba took part in the first conference of the
NAM PN in Baku last year.
President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel visited Azerbaijan in 2019
while Cuban Vice President Salvador Antonio Valdes Mdid so in
March this year. The visits of such a quite high level contribute
to the progress of the bilateral relations, Mrs Gafarova said
before recalling fondly her meeting with Mr Mduring his stay in
Azerbaijan.
Saying then that the parliaments, too, played a role of their
own in the progress of our inter-state relations, Sahiba Gafarova
added that the intensifying contacts between the friendship groups,
reciprocal visits and a regular dialogue serve as a bridge between
our legislative assemblies.
Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez was made aware of the current
situation in our region, Azerbaijan's peace initiatives and
Armenia's military-political provocations. The head of the Cuban
Parliament remarked that they were aware of the situation in our
region and that it was important to restore peace and stability to
it.
It was said then that co-operation in culture, sciences and
education was equally as important for the strengthening of the
ties between our countries and promoting their contacts. The
Speaker of the Milli Majlis remembered the Azerbaijani Culture Days
in Cuba in 2010; the other side can continue this positive trend;
besides, varijoint cultural events can he held. According to
Mrs Gafarova, our country aims to extend scholarships to students
from CIS, Non-Aligned Movement and the Developing Small Island
States via the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grants
Programme in line with the presidential decree inked in July this
year. Cuban students could take part in this programme as well.
Other matters of shared interest were also discussed at the
meeting.
