Baku:President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, along with First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, met with Vice President of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan. The meeting highlighted the strengthening of strategic ties between the two nations.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, President Aliyev expressed gratitude to Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan for attending the upcoming Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. He emphasized the opportunity this visit provided for discussing important bilateral issues.

President Aliyev reflected on his visit to Vietnam and the visit to Azerbaijan by To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He underlined the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, thanking Vietnam for supporting the extension of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of CICA.

Vice President Xuan expressed appreciation for the reception by President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, recalling her previous visit to Azerbaijan. She congratulated Azerbaijan on its achievements and successful CICA chairmanship, emphasizing the importance of the Joint Statement on establishing a strategic partnership.

The meeting also revisited historical ties, including visits by Vietnamese and Azerbaijani leaders, which have contributed to the development of bilateral relations. Vice President Xuan noted Azerbaijan's support in Vietnam's development post-independence, particularly in the energy sector and education, which created a strong foundation for ongoing cooperation.

Discussions included cooperation within international organizations and potential collaborations in various sectors such as economy, trade, transport, logistics, renewable energy, tourism, and investment. Energy cooperation was a key focus, with both sides discussing the Memorandum of Understanding between SOCAR and PetroVietnam.

Vice President Xuan also expressed gratitude for the cultural and humanitarian initiatives by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Vietnam and fondly remembered the visit of Leyla Aliyeva, a vice president of the foundation.