Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Parliament, met with a delegation led by Zaur Askenderov, Chairman of the People's Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan of the Russian Federation.

Highlighting the historical relations and shared values between the two peoples, Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that Azerbaijan-Russia relations, founded by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, continue to prosper today under the leadership of Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin.

Speaker Gafarova noted that approximately 300 documents covering various areas have been signed between Azerbaijan and Russia to date. She specifically mentioned the Declaration of Allied Interaction between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation, which occupies a prominent place among these documents. The Speaker also highlighted the presence of the largest Russian community in the South Caucasus, residing in Azerbaijan, and the widespread teaching of the Russian language in various educational institutions across the country.

Gafarova updated her Dagestani counterpart on ongoing construction efforts in the liberated Azerbaijani territories and discussed the pressures Azerbaijan faced ahead of COP29, a major global event. She provided detailed information about the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, focusing on the barriers hindering its progress.

Zaur Askenderov underscored the historical bonds between the peoples of Dagestan and Azerbaijan, sharing common values. He also described the parliamentary elections held for the first time across all sovereign territories of Azerbaijan as a significant milestone.

The sides emphasized the crucial role of parliaments in fostering relations and stressed the importance of intensifying reciprocal visits.

Askenderov noted that the large Azerbaijani diaspora in Dagestan lives as one unified family.