Republic of Azerbaijan - 12.09.2004

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES HEAD OF CIS FEDERATION OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Head of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Commonwealth, president of the Israel-Russia Chamber of Commerce Lev Levayev and accompanied delegation, on December 9. 

Sincerely greeting the guests, the Head of State expressed satisfaction with the meeting and noted that inter-ethnic and inter-confessional relations in Azerbaijan have always rested on the mutual respect and friendship. “This is a tradition and power of our state. This tradition went through the whole history of our country, and of course, after re-gaining state independence took its final form”, he said. 

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan is a homeland to a variety of nationalities and religions, which always co-existed in peace and friendship. “Ethnic-religious tolerance is at a very high level in our country. We highly value this, and I believe, this is our national achievement. Jews historically - including the soviet period - held in high respect in Azerbaijan. Our government, the city government are doing all possible to strengthen the Jewish community ” the Azerbaijani leader said. 

Head of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Commonwealth, president of the Israel-Russia Chamber of Commerce Lev Levayev expressed pleasure to meet with President of Azerbaijan and said he was first invited to Azerbaijan in last April and held a number of meetings in Baku. He described his meeting with President Heydar Aliyev as unforgettable. “I am very proud that I personally met your father. It grieved us so deeply to learn of the great leader’s demise. All rabbis of Russia came to Baku to attend his funeral,” Lev Levayev said. 

He finally let the President know that right after this meeting, the delegation is going to visit Heydar Aliyev Fund.