Azerbaijani president receives Turkish vice president

By Mumin Altas and Ruslan Rehimov

BAKU (AA) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday met Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay in the capital Baku.

The meeting between the two dignitaries at the Azerbaijan Presidency lasted one hour.

Oktay arrived in Baku on Sunday to attend the 8th meeting of Turkey-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission and Turkey-Azerbaijan Business Forum.

Marking the 101st anniversary of liberation of Azerbaijani capital Baku, Oktay expressed hope for a much better Baku and a more developed Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, Oktay also highlighted the importance of the Joint Economic Commission for the further development of economic relations between the two countries.

The two sides agreed on cooperation in the defense industry, agriculture and pharmaceutical sectors.

Earlier in the day, Oktay visited the Alley of Honors and Alley of Martyrs in Baku to pay tribute to national leader of the modern Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev and to the fallen Turk soldiers.

He will also meet Prime Minister Novruz Memmedov as part of his official visit.

Oktay met Sunday with Turkish business people living in Azerbaijan at the Turkish Embassy in Baku.

On Sept. 15, 1918, Baku was liberated by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, comprised of Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers.

The army protected the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in 1918 and laid the foundation to Azerbaijan's independence in 1991.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.