Aliyev welcomed by Gul at Cankaya Presidential Palace

As part of his first trip abroad since he was re-elected to his post for a third time last month, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Ankara. President Abdullah Gul and First Lady Hayrunnisa Gul welcomed Aliyev and Azeri First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva with a ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Afterwards, Gul conferred the Order of State to Aliyev, who in return decorated Gul with the Order of Haydar Aliyev. These two awards are the highest orders of the two states. The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his wife Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sherifov, Interior Minister Remil Usubov, Communication Minister Ali Abbasov, Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, Transportation Minister Ziya Memmedov and Economy Minister Sahin Mustafayev. Speaking at the ceremony, Gul expressed his pleasure to award the Order of State, which was once presented to great leader and statesman of Azerbaijan, the late Haydar Aliyev, to another esteemed member of the Aliyev family. "Long live Azerbaijan! Long live Turkey! Long live Turkish-Azeri sisterhood," Gul said. For his part, Aliyev declared Turkey as the closest friend, sibling and ally of Azerbaijan.