An award ceremony between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan was held on July 31.

Operativ Media reports, speaking at the ceremony, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov said:

"Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Modern Azerbaijan is a strong and influential state that plays an important role in regional and international processes. Great achievements have been made during your leadership of Azerbaijan in strengthening statehood, developing the economy, and implementing large-scale projects. Thanks to your support and constant efforts toward closer ties, our brotherly countries have achieved a true strategic partnership based on firm friendship and mutual trust.

Today, our relations have reached a qualitatively broad level and assumed the character of an alliance. Your role in developing ties between Central Asia and the South Caucasus is of particular importance. Azerbaijan's participation in the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia opens up new opportunities for expanding cooperation in the economic, trade, transport, and energy sectors. You also consistently dedicate your authority to establishing lasting peace in the region, strengthening stability, and creating a new atmosphere of cooperation.

Your commitment to strengthening friendship between our countries inspires deep respect among the Kyrgyz people. For this reason, my dear friend and brother, I decided to award the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, the highest state award of the Kyrgyz Republic – the Order of Manas.

This high award is confirmation of your personal contribution to strengthening Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani relations.

On behalf of the people of the Kyrgyz Republic and on my own behalf, I sincerely congratulate you on this high honor. I wish you robust health, well-being, and continued success in your supreme state activities, and peace and progress to the brotherly people of Azerbaijan.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, allow me to present the Order of Manas to you."

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The Decree of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on conferring the 1st Class Order of Manas upon President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for his significant contribution to the development of strategic partnership between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan and to strengthening friendship between the two peoples was then read out.

President Sadyr Japarov presented the 1st Class Order of Manas to the Azerbaijani head of state.

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the ceremony, saying:

"Dear Sadyr Nurgozhoevich,

Dear friends,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for this high award. I consider it your appreciation of my efforts to strengthen brotherly ties between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. Over the years of our cooperation, our countries have traversed a great and honorable path, and our interstate relations have risen to the level of a strategic alliance. There is no higher level in the world than this. I am deeply grateful to you for your personal involvement in strengthening relations between our brotherly nations.

Our warm, friendly, and brotherly relations are a crucial factor in the current successful development between our countries. I also express my sincere thanks for the kind words addressed to me and for this high order, and I assure you that I will continue to make every effort for the sustainable development of Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani relations for the benefit of our countries and peoples.

Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart for such a high honor."

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The Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on awarding President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov the "Heydar Aliyev" Order for his special services in the development of friendly, brotherly, and partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan was then read out.

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Continuing his address, President Ilham Aliyev said: "Before presenting this high award, Sadyr Nurgozhoevich, I would like to once again congratulate you personally, your team, and the brotherly Kyrgyz people on the historic achievements gained by Kyrgyzstan under your leadership. This is not my first visit to Kyrgyzstan, but it is during your presidency that our contacts have become regular. Counting my visits to Kyrgyzstan and Sadyr Nurgozhoevich's visits to Azerbaijan, dozens of mutual visits have taken place.

However, all this has happened since the brotherly Kyrgyz people entrusted you with the high office of President. Everyone sees the changes. Friends see them, as do foreign observers visiting the country. It is impossible not to see them. Even what we observed today in the Issyk-Kul region could not be imagined without Sadyr Nurgozhoevich's leadership of Kyrgyzstan. This beautiful corner of the Kyrgyz land is currently experiencing its main era of development. No one in history has ever witnessed such rapid development in such a short period as we see here. This is your personal service — your devotion to your people, your roots, the high moral values of the Kyrgyz people, and your efforts to elevate Kyrgyzstan to a new level of development. You are achieving this. Today, your country's international prestige is at the highest level, and Kyrgyzstan's election to a supreme international body confirms this.

Economic development and social progress reflect your care for the Kyrgyz people, as migration flows are now moving into Kyrgyzstan from abroad rather than out of the country. All this has been made possible thanks to your personal involvement, your decisions, and your foresight. I have been to Bishkek many times, and this is not my first time on the beautiful shores of Issyk-Kul. I can say that development is taking place across the entire country. Of course, the citizens of Kyrgyzstan know this best. I believe that the nationwide support shown to you is the main result of your work and probably your greatest reward. Azerbaijan also highly values your contribution both to the development of Kyrgyzstan and to strengthening brotherly relations between our countries. By my Decree, you have been awarded Azerbaijan's highest state award – the 'Heydar Aliyev' Order. The Decree has just been announced. Allow me to present this high award to you."

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President Ilham Aliyev presented the "Heydar Aliyev" Order to President Sadyr Japarov.

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President Sadyr Japarov said: "Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for the respect and friendship shown. It is a great honor for me to receive one of the highest state awards of the Republic of Azerbaijan — the 'Heydar Aliyev' Order — from your hands. This award holds special significance for me, as it bears the name of an outstanding statesman, a great son of the Azerbaijani people, who laid the foundation for modern Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani relations.

I accept this order as a symbol of strong ties between our peoples and a shared commitment to strategic partnership and alliance. I am grateful to you for this special gesture, for your attention to Kyrgyzstan, and for your constant efforts toward bringing our peoples closer together.

Thank you. Thank you."

09:19

An award ceremony between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan was held on July 31.

Operativ Media reports that President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov presented the 1st Class Order of Manas to the Azerbaijani head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev presented the "Heydar Aliyev" Order to President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov.