Official welcome ceremony held for President Ilham Aliyev in Bratislava

On December 8, an official welcome ceremony was held for President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Bratislava, Slovakia. The ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace, where a guard of honor was lined up to greet the Azerbaijani president.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini personally welcomed President Aliyev to the capital, marking a significant moment in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthems of both Azerbaijan and Slovakia. Following the anthems, the chief of the guard of honor presented a formal report to President Aliyev. The two presidents then reviewed the honor guard together, symbolizing the mutual respect and camaraderie between the two countries.

Subsequently, members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Pellegrini, while members of the Slovak delegation were presented to President Aliyev. The event concluded with both heads of state posing for official photographs, marking the significance of this diplomatic occasion. President Ilham Aliyev also took a moment to sign the guest book, further solidifying the warm relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia.

Later in the day, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Peter Pellegrini addressed the media, where they highlighted important areas of cooperation. President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan's considerable energy potential, stating that the country's untapped energy reserves amount to 2 gigawatts, with plans to expand this to 8 gigawatts over the next five years.

"One of the key aspects of our partnership is energy. We have significant untapped energy resources, and the development of new gas fields will provide additional resources, enabling the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Slovakia and its neighboring countries in even larger volumes," President Aliyev stated during a joint press conference with President Pellegrini.

President Pellegrini, on his part, expressed his pleasure at welcoming President Aliyev, calling the visit historic as it marked the first official trip of an Azerbaijani president to Slovakia. He noted that this visit underscores the mutual interest of both nations to build and develop strategic partnerships.

"Azerbaijan’s gas supply to 14 countries and its leadership in pipeline gas exports is a testament to the growing energy cooperation between our countries," President Aliyev added.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in energy cooperation, and laid the groundwork for future collaboration between Azerbaijan and Slovakia in various sectors.

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