Your Excellency,

On the occasion of the Independence Day of Azerbaijan, I wish to convey to the Government and people of Azerbaijan my best wishes, together with those of the Australian Government and people.

Australia and Azerbaijan enjoy warm bilateral relations, with growing opportunities for trade and investment. The visit in early May by The Hon. Michael McCormack MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance, for the Asian Development Bank meeting was a welcome opportunity to further promote trade between our two countries.

I am pleased that Australian firms have been involved in construction and preparations for the first ever European Games, to be held in Baku in June 2015. I wish Azerbaijan every success in hosting the Games.

I also wish Azerbaijan success in holding democratic parliamentary elections in November 2015.

May I express my confidence that the friendly relations between our two countries to prosper in the coming year.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Cosgrove,

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia