Mr. Putin's call comes amid memorial ceremonies to mark the 1st anniversary of Geidar Aliyev's death. A monument to Aliyev Sr. was unveiled in the Azeri capital of Baku earlier today, the Kremlin press office reports.
"On expressing his profound respect for Geidar Aliyev's memory, Mr. Putin highlighted his [the late Azeri President's] enormous contribution to the strengthening of friendship and good-neighborly relations between Russia and Azerbaijan," the press office says. In reply, Aliyev Jr. thanked the Russian President for his attention to the memory of the nation's long-standing leader.
During their telephone conversation, the two presidents voiced mutual satisfaction with positive processes going on in the Russian-Azeri relationship and discussed specific aspects of their further development, the Kremlin press service said.
Ilkham Aliyev, escorted by family members and government officials, laid a wreath at the monument to his father, installed beside his tomb. Members of the public have been coming along since early morning to pay homage to their deceased leader. The Interior Ministry has done everything necessary to provide unhindered public access to the tomb.
At 7 p.m. Sunday, the nation will observe a moment of silence for the former president.
