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First Azerbaijan-Russia Forum on Humanitarian Cooperation wrapped up

23 January 2010 18:03 (UTC +04:00)

Forum moderator Vitaly Ignatenko, Director General of ITAR-TASS News Agency, hailed the forum as very successful, saying that the event will pave the way for coming closer and together for the development of spiritual values of the two countries.

Ramiz Mehtiyev, head of Azerbaijanâ€™s presidential administration, said that the forum days were a test of friendship and mutual understanding.
"It was suggested at the forum that borders divide states but the cultural links easily surmount the borders. I absolutely agree with that. For us it is important that our peoples better understand each other. We are fully justified the trust of our presidents who initiated the idea of this forum", he added.
He said that the forum is the beginning of extensive and multi-faceted work to be for the good of the peoples of Azerbaijan and Russia.
"The forum should be given support - a youth forum should be launched to lead it to the future," he said.
Ramiz Mehdiyev said that the forum participants support the idea of holding the forum in Baku and Moscow annually, and grant it international status.

Sergei Naryshkin, Head of Russiaâ€™s Presidential Administration, said that the forum will be another step forward in the development of the intergovernmental dialogue.
"Our bilateral relations are measured by centuries, here lives a people very close to Russia. Human relations play a major role in bringing together nations," he said.
S.Naryshkin believes that is a great fozmozhnost know each other, which.
Recalling that the 65-year anniversary of Victory in World War II will be marked in 2010, holding such forums is very important for nations to know each other and for mutual understanding.
He said that it is important to let young people know the truth about the history correctly.

Mikhail Shvidkoy, Representative of Russian President for International Cooperation, emphasized the need for such events, especially under the aegis of Presidents.
He stated that he supports the idea of a Youth Forum and highlighted the activities of representatives of business organizations.

Famous writer Chingiz Abdullayev touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Azerbaiajn and Armenia.
He recalled that after the Second World War, Russia and Japan were to sign an agreement under which 4 islands were to be shared equally.
"This peace agreement has not yet been signed because Russia does not want to give 2 rocky islands. Why then canâ€™t Russia understand Azerbaijan who does not want to give up 20 percent of its territory,â€ he underscored.

The writer said that since the first day of the conflict everyone understood that if your neighbor’s house catch fire, you need to help put out it, otherwise it will spread to other houses.
"Today, we see that the fire spread to South Ossetia and Abkhazia and Ingushetia, and the entire Caucasus burst into flames", - said Chingiz Abdullayev.
The writer believes that the key to the solution of the Karabakh problem has always been in Moscow.
â€œYou just agree with the fact that your formula that â€œgo and make arrangements and we will support your decisionâ€ doesnâ€™t prove itself. It is impossible to come terms with Armenia behind which stands Russian army. We have over 200 years associated with the culture of Russia, we will accept Russian culture as our own. We have always valued and will value the good Russia has done in helping us all these years. We have always appreciated the fact that through the Russian language we got access to the world culture, we are always mindful of the fact that Russia is great country of Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and we are convinced that our pain will be understood in Russia that why any Azerbaijani can not talk about anything else at the speakerâ€™s platform but only talks about the Karabakh problem", he concluded.

The event was attended by Azerbaijanâ€™s presidential administration officials, Milli Majlis vice-speaker of, ministers and ministry officials, heads of religious denominations, intellectuals and public figures.

At the end of the forum, participants adopted an appeal to the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia to ask them to become honorary presidents of the forum.