At Heydar Aliyev International Airport, where the national flags of both countries were flying, an honor guard was lined up in tribute to the distinguished guest.
The President of Syria was welcomed by First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Yagub Eyyubov, Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev, and other officials.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to Azerbaijan would play an important role in the development of bilateral relations.
Noting that during the rule of the previous government in Syria — which for many years pursued an unfriendly policy toward Azerbaijan — relations between the two countries had stagnated, the head of state emphasized that the formation of a new government in Syria had opened up significant prospects for advancing cooperation.
Recalling the visit of a delegation led by the Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Prime Minister to Syria, President Aliyev stressed that during the meetings, projects aimed at developing cooperation in various fields were discussed.
In turn, Ahmad al-Sharaa recalled with satisfaction his meeting with the head of state during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. He expressed his gratitude to President Aliyev for Azerbaijan’s fraternal support of Syria.
Ahmad al-Sharaa also expressed regret that the previous Syrian government had damaged the country’s relations with many states, including Azerbaijan. He stated that Syria is now interested in cooperating with Azerbaijan in political, trade and economic, cultural, humanitarian, and other spheres.
The meeting highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the energy sector. A project is being planned to supply Azerbaijani gas to Syria via Turkey.
It was noted that Syria is currently facing a serious energy crisis. In this regard, it was emphasized that the project to export Azerbaijani gas to Syria through Turkish territory will be implemented in the near future, contributing to Syria’s energy security. In doing so, Azerbaijan could play a role in restoring Syria’s energy sector.
During the conversation, cooperation in the humanitarian, educational, and cultural spheres was also discussed. Views were exchanged on topics such as providing scholarships for Syrian students in Azerbaijan and the restoration of cultural monuments.
Given Azerbaijan’s experience in reconstruction and restoration work in the territories liberated from occupation, it was noted that Azerbaijan can contribute to Syria’s post-conflict recovery process.
The meeting also featured an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.
