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BAKU: Official visit of Aliyev to Italy & the Vatican

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  • BAKU: Official visit of Aliyev to Italy & the Vatican

    AzerTag, Azerbaijan
    Feb 26 2005

    OFFICIAL VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM
    ALIYEV TO THE REPUBLIC OF ITALY AND STATE OF VATICAN

    WELCOMING CEREMONY IN VATICAN
    [February 26, 2005, 22:46:34]

    Visiting Italy President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
    arrived February 26 in the State of Vatican, where he was warmly
    welcomed by members of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Commander of
    the Swiss Guard and other representatives of the Pope of Rome.

    After that, the Azerbaijani leader met in private with Cardinal
    Secretary of State Angelo Sodano. The Cardinal Secretary of State
    conveyed greetings of Pope John Paul II to President Ilham Aliyev
    noting the Pope is known worldwide as a friend of all peoples
    irrespective of their religious, racial or ethnic belonging.

    President Ilham Aliyev, for his part, thanked Cardinal Angelo Sodano
    for the hospitality shown to him and the Azerbaijani delegation, and
    recalled the meeting of national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev
    with Pope John Paul II in 1997, and the Pope's visit to Azerbaijan.
    The Head of State wished Pope John Paul II speedy recovery.

    Touching on the relations between the two states, Cardinal Sodano let
    the President know that he is going to arrive in Azerbaijan to
    participate in the opening of Catholic Church in Baku that is now
    under construction.

    President Ilham Aliyev told of the reforms being implemented in
    Azerbaijan aimed at building a democratic, legal and secular state in
    the country.

    He also dwelt on the most painful problem of Azerbaijan, the conflict
    with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, and its tragic consequences. The
    Head of State noted that Armenia's destructive stance does not allow
    to find peaceful solution to the problem, and called on highly
    reputable international organizations and the world's leading states
    to intensify their efforts in this direction.

    During the conversation, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and
    Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano also exchanged views on a
    number of other issues of mutual interest.
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