Kazakh president meets Azerbaijani foreign minister in Astana

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Astana and emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral ties.

“Your (Bayramov's) visit is of great importance in terms of further promotion of our cooperation with brotherly Azerbaijan. Relations with Azerbaijan are of great importance to us,” Tokayev was quoted as saying by the Kazakh presidential press service Akorda.

Bayramov expressed gratitude for Kazakhstan’s warm hospitality and highlighted the development of relations between the two countries.

He also conveyed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s appreciation for Kazakhstan’s prompt assistance following the recent Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau last December that killed 38 of the 67 passengers and crew members on board.

The meeting covered major strategic projects, including the construction of a fiber-optic communication line and a deep-sea power cable under the Caspian Sea.

Both sides also discussed further cooperation in trade, investment, digitalization, transit, and transportation.