President Gul receives Aliyev

President Abdullah Gul yesterday received his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev. "We're bravely dealing with the problems of the Caucasus together," Gul told a joint press conference. "Leaders of the Caucasus have shown the will on various platforms to resolve its problems. This is a very positive development." Pointing to the recent meeting in Moscow between Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan, Gul said that Turkey supports this dialogue process. For his part, Aliyev said, "Relations between our two countries have contributed to peace, cooperation and stability in the region. The issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia should first be solved. Azerbaijan expects a fair solution." Gul yesterday also sent a letter congratulating Barack Obama on his historic election as president of the United States. "Your message of change and hope is one that meets the expectations of our day. It is a message that Turkey embraces," he wrote. "As two close allies and partners, Turkey and the United States have established a strong friendship based on vital interests." He added, "This friendship is founded on such universal values as freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law, and constitutes an important asset for our countries. We value this friendship highly."