NOVO-OGARYOVO, November 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he hopes to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, on December 20 in St. Petersburg.

"Please convey my best wishes to the Azerbaijani president. I hope we will have the pleasure to meet with him on December 20 in St. Petersburg," he said at a meeting with visiting Azerbaijani First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva.

In the course of the meeting, the Russian leader paid special attention to the Azerbaijani authorities’ efforts to popularize the Russian language in their country. "It is one of the former Soviet republics where attitudes to the Russian language are maintained at the highest level," he said.

In this context, Putin hailed the personal role of Azerbaijan’s president and first vice president. "We appreciate it very much because it is a base that makes it possible to develop relations in all other areas, including economic and humanitarian ties. We are thankful for than very much and on our part we will do our best to maintain the tendency towards our common heritage. This is what helps people speak with each other without any barriers, develop both personal and interstate relations," he noted.

The Azerbaijani first vice president noted in turn that her country’s authorities would pay still more attention to this sphere. "Our generation has common roots, common history. A young generation is coming into focus and it is important to continue and strengthen these ties, especially between people, between the younger generation," she noted.