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Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan releases parting words of outgoing ambassador

22 July 2009 17:13 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova. Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan releases parting words of the outgoing ambassador Arthur Lenk, APA reports. The letter reads:

â€œThis week I am concluding my term as Israelâ€™s Ambassador to Azerbaijan. The past four years have been exciting for me personally and have coincided with significant growth in the relations between our two countries.

Some obvious highlights include last monthâ€™s historic visit of Shimon Peres to Azerbaijan and bilateral trade reaching over three billion US dollars in 2008 including three consecutive years of growth in Israeli exports. Additionally, visits of ministers and other government exchanges have also increased. A range of other achievements worthy of note include deepening academic collaboration with Azerbaijani universities, humanitarian partnership between Israelâ€™s Magen David Adom and Azerbaijanâ€™s Red Crescent Society and the founding of Aziz â€“ an association of Azerbaijanis living in Israel. I could also list collaborations in agriculture, healthcare, culture and many other spheres.

To me, however, the greatest achievement is the friendship and mutual empathy that continues to grow between the people of Israel and Azerbaijan and the recognition that both of us, although we are small states living in complicated regions, continue to strive for peace, stability and the development of our societies.

I wanted to thank you personally for your efforts on behalf of relationship. I am confident that our Embassy will continue to work to bring our countries closer together.

And, finally, on a personal note, and on behalf of my wife and daughters, I thank you and all Azerbaijanis for such wonderful hospitality and friendship over the past four years. Azerbaijan has become a part of the lives of my family and will certainly continue to be close to our family in the years to comeâ€.