On Thursday the Azeri president Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit to Moscow and had a meeting with the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. The presidents are still negotiating and the Russian Commersant writes that their talks were not limited with oil issues only. According to the newspaper, Aliyev and Medvedev discussed issues concerning the preparation of the upcoming summit on the issue of Karabakh conflict to take place in Saint-Petersburg (it may take place in June). “In consideration of this situation, the Russian president, who managed to organize negotiations in fall of the last year and due to which the resolution of Maindorf was signed, intends to develop the success. It is worth mentioning that this is very important because Aliyev and Sargsyan intend to have a meeting within the framework of the summit on Eastern Cooperation to take place on May 7 in Prague. Based on the existing situation, the official Moscow welcomes the planned upcoming meeting in Prague, but does not believe that it will be success, thus it wants to give a “lesson of peace” to the West in Saint-Petersburg,” writes the Commersant. Within the framework of the same topic the newspaper reminds about the fact that Azerbaijan has numerously applied to Russia with the request to purchase anti-tank, anti-missile and other weapons. “However, in consideration of the Armenian factor these requests were not satisfied in the past. And now, based on the negotiations of Aliyev and Medvedev, Russia may satisfy Azerbaijan’s interests,” writes the newspaper and adds that their correspondent had been told by the Rosoboronexport (Russian Defense Export) that Azerbaijan is one of the best partners of Russia in terms of military cooperation. Yesterday the Russian president made a statement concerning the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan as well. “The trade circulation of the previous year has grown by 40 per cent, but this year will be difficult. Our goal is to protect all what has been done, especially due to the fact that we have reached this development not only due to the energetic resources but significant change in trade circulation as well,” said Medvedev concerning Russia’s relations with Azerbaijan. He also emphasized that the two countries were maintaining “good relations”. Ilham Aliyev said that he hoped that despite the economic crisis he hoped that the trade circulation between Azerbaijan and Russia would exceed 3 billion in 2009. Aliyev says that this success is a result of good relations that the presidents of the two countries have. “Russia is Azerbaijan’s partner, neighbor and ally, and we should develop our relations based on this cooperation,” said Ilham Aliyev.
