From the conversation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev at the meeting with the president of the National Oil Corporation of Japan Kunio Komatsu and heads of a number of companies - Tokyo residence of the President of Azerbaijan, February 25, 1998

I express my gratitude and sincere appreciation for meeting you.

Your appreciation on the reforms carried out in the economic sector of Azerbaijan, and your good wishes evoked in me a sense of pleasure. Thank you for your congratulations on the progress we have achieved.

My first official visit to Japan is going on successfully. The meetings and negotiations I held in Tokyo are of great importance for the further development of cooperation between our countries. I appreciate the interest of the Japanese companies to establish relations in the field of oil and gas industry, including the fields of energy, communications, infrastructure and environment. I am sure that such a multi-lateral partnership will be beneficial for the both sides.

Azerbaijan is located in a very spot from the geopolitical point of view and is rich in natural resources, which opens up opportunities for the further development of relations between our countries. We attach particular importance to Azerbaijani-Japanese partnership.