BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 25. Speaker of the
Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting with Chairman of the
Council of Representatives of Bahrain Ahmad bin Salman Al-Musallam
in the course of her official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 25
January, Trend
reports, citing the press and public relations department of the
Azerbaijani Parliament.


Saying that the Kingdom was keen on furthering the relations
with Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Council of Representatives of
Bahrain Ahmad bin Salman Al-Musallam indicated the interest in
consistent and purposeful continuation of the existing co operation
between our countries in the political and economic areas as well
as within international organisations.


Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova expressed gratitude
for the hospitality extended and mentioned the fact that it was for
the second time that she was paying a visit to the Kingdom of
Bahrain, recalling with pleasure the visits to Azerbaijan of
Speakers of Parliament of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the past
periods and the meetings held. Speaker of the Milli Majlis remarked
that the current visit was her first official one to the Kingdom of
Bahrain as Speaker and that the visit coincided with the 30th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Azerbaijan and Bahrain. She said also that the opening of the
Embassy of Azerbaijan in Bahrain last year had moved our bilateral
relations to a new stage.


It was said that during the visit the Speaker of the Milli
Majlis would also participate in the 16th plenary session of the
Asian Parliamentary Assembly and that this platform contributes
materially to the expansion of inter parliamentary co
operation.


It was emphasised that political contacts, visits being
undertaken and consultations being held play an important role in
deepening the ties; the existence of good opportunities for further
development of the co operation in the areas of economy, trade,
investments, tourism and education was underscored. In particular,
the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, who referred to the connections in
the humanitarian fields, said that last year’s visit to the Kingdom
of Bahrain by Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Head
of the IDEA Public Association Leyla Aliyeva and Head of the Baku
Media Centre Arzu Aliyeva, and the ‘MAMA – Mother Nature’
exhibition organised to high standards within the itinerary of that
visit in Manama indicated the high level of existing relations in
this direction.


Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova, whilst highlighting
the successful collaboration between our countries in the formats
of such international and regional organisations as the UN, the
Organisation of Islamic Co operation and the Non Aligned Movement,
expressed high appreciation of the support by the Kingdom of
Bahrain for Azerbaijan’s just position on these platforms.


As she was underlining the significance of parliamentary
diplomacy in the progress of inter state relations, Sahiba Gafarova
voiced the laudatory assessment of the current active co operation
between the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Bahrain. The successful
co operation of the parliaments, both bilaterally and on
international platforms such as the Inter Parliamentary Union, the
Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Union of the OIC
Member States and the Non Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network
(NAM PN), was mentioned as well. It was said that Azerbaijan had
supported the chairmanship candidacy of the Parliament of Bahrain
in the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, and contentment was expressed
with that the chairmanship of the Assembly would be handed over to
the Bahraini side. At the same time, satisfaction was expressed
with the close co operation within the NAM PN.


There was at the meeting also an exchange of views upon other
topics of interest to both parties.