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Settlement over AZAL opens up new opportunities for Moscow, Baku — upper house speaker

Valentina Matviyenko stressed that Russian-Azerbaijani relations "have enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation"

ISTANBUL, April 16. /TASS/. The agreement reached by Russia and Azerbaijan on resolving the consequences of the AZAL aircraft crash opens up new opportunities for the development of relations between the states, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said on the sidelines of the Interparliamentary Union Assembly, during a meeting with Azerbaijani National Assembly Speaker Sahiba Gafarova.

"We have completed this stage. And it opens up new opportunities for further smooth development of Russian-Azerbaijani relations," the Federation Council speaker said.

Matviyenko stressed that Russian-Azerbaijani relations "have enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation and are developing in all areas."

In turn, Gafarova noted that the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan "have always been and will remain" among the most friendly. According to her, it is very encouraging that they are currently progressing.

Previously, Moscow and Baku have settled all issues, including the payment of compensation, regarding the aftermath of the AZAL crash following the unintentional operation of air defense systems within Russian airspace. This was declared in a joint statement by the Russian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministries.

The Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Embraer 190, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024. The plane carried 67 people, including 62 passengers, mainly citizens of Azerbaijan, as well as nationals of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and five crew members. The crash resulted in 38 lives lost.

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