Meeting with the Azerbaijani President

On November 22, Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, received Leo Docherty, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Minister of State for Europe and North America of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Press Office of the Azerbaijani President reported.

Leo Docherty said the UK welcomes any efforts to ensure regional peace and stability, adding they are proud of very important political, economic, trade, and energy ties, which had existed for many years with Azerbaijan. Docherty underscored that Azerbaijan is an important energy supplier and a key responsible country in the South Caucasus, saying there would not have been peace and security without Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that bilateral economic relations had begun in the energy sector and highlighted years-long effective cooperation with BP based on mutual trust. The head of state described the investments made in Azerbaijan as a sign of confidence in the country. Aliyev said that BP's starting its operations in Azerbaijan many years ago had played an important role in the economic development and implementation of investment projects in the country. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan-BP cooperation had currently ushered in a new stage in the field of renewable energy, describing this as a very good example for the region.

The President of Azerbaijan hailed the high-level UK-Azerbaijan political relations and reiterated the importance of Leo Docherty’s visit in terms of exchanging views on the development of relations between the two countries.

"The head of state emphasized that the anti-terrorist measures resulted in Azerbaijan fully restoring its sovereignty. Saying that there are no longer any obstacles to signing a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, President Ilham Aliyev underlined that Azerbaijan favors the regional peace agenda and stands ready for a dialogue with Armenia for a peace agreement and normalization of relations between the two countries," the report noted.

Leo Docherty expressed his country’s readiness to lend support to this process.

Meeting with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister

On the same day, Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with the delegation led by Leo Docherty.

During the meeting, the two countries exchanged views on bilateral and regional cooperation and international security issues. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that Azerbaijan attaches importance to the multifaceted relations with Great Britain, touched on the possibilities of further strengthening the existing partnership between the two countries in the political, economic, energy, security, and humanitarian fields and said that the intensification of the political dialogue is essential in terms of determining new directions of cooperation.

In addition, the parties exchanged views on cooperation between the two countries in the fields of transport, education, and renewable energy, as well as the possible activities of British companies in the direction of restoration and reconstruction of territories freed from occupation.