President Ilham Aliyev received UK Minister of State for Defence

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Lord Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting, Lord Vernon Coaker first conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer to the head of state.

Highlighting the friendly and trust-based relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom, Lord Vernon Coaker emphasized the UK’s interest in developing bilateral ties at the level of strategic partnership.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked that his own greetings be conveyed to the Prime Minister. The Azerbaijani leader fondly recalled Keir Starmer's participation in COP29 and their meeting.

Noting that bilateral relations have a rich history, the head of state underlined that cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom began in the energy sector and subsequently expanded into many other areas. President Ilham Aliyev added that there are ample opportunities for further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, and other fields. Touching upon the opening of a new chapter in defence industry cooperation, the Azerbaijani President described it as a sign of mutual trust.

Lord Vernon Coaker congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the results achieved in Washington in August this year regarding the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the advancement of the peace agenda.

Expressing gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the historical significance of these developments and the special role of U.S. President Donald Trump in the process. The head of state noted that it was Azerbaijan that initiated the peace agenda and stressed that the country would continue its efforts to advance it.

During the conversation, the sides exchanged views on issues of mutual concern.