Baku: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, with discussions focusing on enhancing bilateral relations.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the meeting aimed to strengthen ties between the two nations, with President Aliyev expressing confidence in the positive impact of the Prime Minister's visit.
President Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan's support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Mohammad Mustafa, in return, conveyed greetings from Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, to President Aliyev, who reciprocated with his own greetings and fond memories of Abbas's visits to Azerbaijan.
Mohammad Mustafa highlighted the current challenges faced by Palestine, expressing hope for support from friendly countries, including Azerbaijan. He acknowledged Azerbaijan's commitment to supporting Palestine, such as the decision to construct a secondary school in Palestine as part of humanitarian assistance.
The opening of Azerbaijan's Representative Office in Ramallah and financial support for the Palestinian Embassy in Baku were noted as indicators of strong bilateral relations. The discussion also recalled Azerbaijan's $5 million financial assistance to Palestine, allocated following international conferences in 2013, and ongoing humanitarian aid through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The educational exchange was also praised, with 23 Palestinian students currently studying in Azerbaijan under the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant, contributing to a total of 37 Palestinian students in the country. Prime Minister Mustafa expressed his gratitude for this support.
Discussions also explored the export of Palestinian agricultural products to Azerbaijan under preferential terms, alongside other mutual interests, reinforcing the cooperative spirit between the two nations.
Source: Azeri-Press news agency