President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Inga Ruginiene, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, on April 9.

Axar.az informs that the head of state expressed hope that the Prime Minister’s visit to Azerbaijan would be fruitful and contribute to the development of bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene expressed her gratitude for the reception and hailed the longstanding good relations between Lithuania and Azerbaijan.

During the conversation, the sides highlighted good prospects for further expanding economic and trade ties between the two countries. Discussions focused on cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, education, agriculture, and other areas. They emphasized the importance of organizing reciprocal visits of delegations to expand relations.

The Prime Minister of Lithuania conveyed her congratulations to the head of state on the establishment of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Noting the large-scale restoration and reconstruction work being carried out in the liberated territories, the Prime Minister highlighted the extensive efforts by the Azerbaijani state to return former internally displaced persons to their homes.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked her for the congratulations and emphasized that Azerbaijan is the initiator of peace in the region and of efforts to establish trade relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The head of state noted that nearly 30,000 former internally displaced persons have already been returned to their ancestral lands. President Ilham Aliyev added that new cities and villages are being built, and transport and other social infrastructure projects are being implemented in the liberated territories. At the same time, he pointed out that the problem of mines in these areas continues to slow down restoration and reconstruction efforts. President Ilham Aliyev stated that since the end of the Patriotic War, more than 400 people have been killed or injured in mine explosions in the liberated territories.

The meeting also touched upon cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania within international organizations, in addition to the bilateral agenda. In this context, it was emphasized that Lithuania has always supported the development of Azerbaijan’s relations with the European Union.

The sides also exchanged views on regional issues.