Turkey and Azerbaijan play a significant role in bringing together and enhancing the relations between the region’s countries, with the 18th Eurasian Economic Summit contributing to these goals, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, Head of Public Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov said.

It should be noted that the 18th Eurasian Economic Summit organized by the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation, is held in Istanbul.

Hasanov, speaking to reporters, noted the importance of the Summit.

“This Summit is an important factor that built upon the ‘one nation, two states’ philosophy between the peoples of Turkey and Azerbaijan,” he said. “As a formation that brings together more than 30 countries, the Eurasian Economic Summit is important not only in bringing Turkey and Azerbaijan together, but also in increasing the relations between countries in the region.”

Hasanov said the new oil strategy and strategy of regional development of modern independent Azerbaijan the foundation of which was laid by the national leader Heydar Aliyev, is successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev, and this policy correspond to the economic interests not only of Azerbaijan, but also other neighboring countries on the Eurasian space.

The evidence to that is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines which are successfully functioning today.

Hasanov said these projects benefit the life both of the Azerbaijani people and the people of other countries of region.

“The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad which we are going to be put in operation soon, and also the Shahdeniz-2 projects which are carried under the leadership of Azerbaijan and the Southern Gas Corridor will be decisive factors in ensuring energy security of the continent in the third millennium,” he said.

He also said that the East-West international transport and communication corridors created at the initiative of Azerbaijan, brings to the countries of the region and the world additional benefits in this area, and considerably increase the geopolitical weight of Azerbaijan in the region.

“These projects also play an important role in ensuring efficiency of the international cargo transportation,” he said.

The presidential official noted that Azerbaijan, rationally using the natural mineral resources, makes an essential contribution to development of both the republic, and the countries of the region, increase the welfare of the people.

“In this sense, we attach special significance to exchange of views and experience between foreign experts and our officials at the similar summits and conferences, other international actions organized at the regional level,” he said.

Hasanov said the questions discussed at the Eurasian Economic Summit which is taking place in Istanbul, also reflect in themselves both national strategy of development, and regional interests of Azerbaijan.

“During the discussions which are carried out at the Summit, including at bilateral meetings, we state the position of Azerbaijan, we note some advantages of joint activity,” he said.

At the same time, Hasanov said that Azerbaijan brings the fact of occupation of its lands by aggressive Armenia and serious consequences of policy of the ethnic cleaning which is carried out against Azerbaijani people to attention of the participants of action.

“In general, at the Summit we brought to the attention of all delegations the main directions of equal and mutually beneficial relations of Azerbaijan with all states, and had productive discussions,” he said.