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World Jewish News
Azerbaijan to Receive Israel's President with Full Honours; Fear of Iran Irateness Ignored
07.05.2009
Azerbaijan is ready to receive President of Israel Shimon Peres "at the highest level and with full honours." Agreement on this was reached at the meeting of
Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman that took place in Prague on May 6.
The fact that the Israeli party expressed a wish to include Azerbaijan to Peres's tour of the Muslim CIS republics came to light only several months ago.
But Baku has not confirmed its readiness to accept the Israeli President so far.
Diplomats of several Central Asian countries even claimed that if Azerbaijan would still agree to receive the Israeli President, it would try not to advertise this fact over fears of provoking aggravation with Iran. An opinion
was expressed that, at best, Peres would be able to spend not more than a couple of hours in Baku but would hardly manage to organize a full-fledged visit.
According to the results of the exchange of views on regional problems and various aspects of bilateral relations with Liberman, Aliyev has dispelled all
these fears. He not only agreed to the arrival of the Israeli President but also assured that the best welcome would be accorded to him. Approximately, Peres's
visit to Baku will take place at the end of June/beginning of July but Aliyev and Liberman agreed that the exact terms would be brought into line at the level of representatives of the corresponding offices.
As the IzRus portal was informed by a source that had been present at the meeting, the President of Azerbaijan and the Foreign Minister of Israel had spoken Russian, "in a very confidential and open manner." Both of them emphasized a
friendly mode of bilateral relations. The prospects of further cooperation development were also discussed, in particular, in the fields of agriculture, medicine and high technologies.
Liberman thanked his interlocutor for a special attitude of official Baku to the local Jewish community. He noted that the relations of two nations and two states could serve as a model of peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Jews.
Aliyev and Liberman came to an understanding on a number of strategic issues but agreed that they should not expatiate on this subject.
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