President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Azerbaijan Nikolai Patskevich who is completing his diplomatic mission in the country.

Nikolai Patskevich congratulated the President on the high level organization of the first European Games and the Azerbaijani athletes` great achievements.

The Ambassador highlighted the Azerbaijani people's acting as a team in preparing for and holding the European Games.

He noted that Azerbaijan once again presented itself to the world as an independent, modern and developed country by organizing this event at such a high level.

The head of state applauded the Ambassador's warm words about the organization of the first European Games and noted that Azerbaijani people showed their unity in holding this event. President Ilham Aliyev praised the participation of more than two million people in the ceremony of bringing the Olympic flame as a good sign of this unity. The head of state described the holding of the first European Games in Azerbaijan as one of the greatest events in the country`s years of independence in terms of scale and high national spirits.

Ambassador Nikolai Patskevich touched upon Belarus-Azerbaijan relationship, and thanked President Ilham Aliyev for his support for the development and strengthening of the bilateral ties. He hailed successful implementation of the tasks set by the Azerbaijani and Belarus presidents in order to strengthen the relations.

Noting that the bilateral ties were developing in a variety of fields, the Belarus Ambassador said the two countries maintained close cooperation on the international scale too.

Nikolai Patskevich said that mutual respect and sincere ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus contributed to the strengthening of the relations between the two country`s people.

President Ilham Aliyev hailed Ambassador Nikolai Patskevich`s contribution to the development of Azerbaijan-Belarus relations during his tenure.

The head of state expressed satisfaction with successful implementation of the tasks set by the two countries' presidents in order to expand the relations.

President Ilham Aliyev said Belarus-Azerbaijan relationship had been developing on the basis of friendship. The head of state expressed his confidence that

these relations would continue expanding.

President Ilham Aliyev wished Nikolai Patskevich success in his future activities.