English: J. Ramos-Horta

President of Timor-Leste (2022-2027) (2007-2012) Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1996) At the Xth Global Baku Forum "The World of Today: Challenges and Hopes" BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 9-12 March 2023

Azernews Tuesday March 7 2023 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta Addressing the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said: - Hello again. Thank you for coming. This is indeed the first time in history that the President of Timor-Leste has visited Azerbaijan. I am sure that this is an important step that will ensure the successful continuation of friendly relations, an effective cooperation and partnership between our countries. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude for the high level of representation of your country at the recently held Summit-level Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. The meeting was very successful and once again demonstrated the solidarity between the member states. I would also like to express my gratitude to the support of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship and our initiatives aimed at strengthening the cooperation between our member states and protecting their interests. Our countries are located far from each other, but I believe that this should not prevent our cooperation in various fields. While there is cooperation at the political level, we should consider opportunities in other areas as well. Of course, your visit to Azerbaijan creates an opportunity to discuss broad issues of mutual interest. Mr. President, welcome to Azerbaijan again. I wish you a pleasant time in Azerbaijan. x x x President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta said: - Your Excellency, thank you for meeting with me in Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the Forum I will be participating in. I was invited to this Forum before, but for certain reasons I could not attend. This time, I really wanted to make this trip. I wanted to participate in the Forum and personally get acquainted with Azerbaijan, which has achieved progress and development under your leadership and about which I have read a lot. Thank you for such an opportunity. The President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste hailed Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and emphasized the successful organization of the recent Summit-level meeting of the Movement held in Baku. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to the President of Timor-Leste for his support of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. During the meeting, the sides discussed cooperation in the fields of gas, investments, fertilizer production, and education. President José Ramos-Horta asked President Ilham Aliyev to consider the possibility of providing scholarships to students from Timor-Leste in the educational institutions of Azerbaijan.

Highlighting the educational potential of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev noted that educational scholarships have been allocated for foreign students, including students from the NAM member countries, and said that this issue will also be considered.