On October 10th Sergey Naryshkin, Head of the Administration of the President of Russia, presented the Russian Order of Friendship to the Director General of the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency (AzerTAc) Aslan Aslanov at the RF embassy in Baku. 
Naryshhkin noted the Order was conferred by the Decree of Russian President for Aslanov`s huge contribution to development of the Russian-Azerbaijani relations. "Heading the largest news agency of Azerbaijan, you make great contribution to development of friendly and good-neighboring relations between our countries throughout already many years. Thanks to you, Azerbaijanis learn about events which occur in our country, plans of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. With the great pleasure I wish to tell about that role which you play to strengthen position of the Russian language, you do a lot also for strengthening of information policy on the CIS space", Naryshkin underlined.
"It is remarkable, that this solemn ceremony passes in the day of opening of the first Baku International Humanitarian Forum, the unique project which has no equal," head of the RF President`s Administration said. According to S. Naryshkin, carrying out of the said forum speaks about the importance of the humanitarian communications between our countries and peoples. "Handing over to you the high state award, I wish you further successes in your necessary activity", he stressed.
"Perhaps, for the first time for all history of Azerbaijan there is such leader in information field of the country which very successfully works also on international arena", the Director General of ITAR-TASS Vitaly Ignatenko said. He underlined, that today AzerTAc is known all over the world. "AzerTAc is represented in Association of News Agencies of Asia and Pacific Ocean, the countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the European Alliance. These are all merits of our friend and colleague Aslan Aslanov", Ignatenko said.
Director General of AzerTAc Aslan Aslanov expressed gratitude for high award of the Russian Federation. "I am especially proud of awarding for contribution to development of the Russian-Azerbaijani relations. I am greatly thankful to the President of the Russian Federation Mr. Dmitry Medvedev for such high appreciation of my modest work", Aslanov underlined.
"It is a great honor for me that I am awarded with the Order of Friendship of Russia as a citizen of modern independent Azerbaijan, the architect and founder of which is the great leader Heydar Aliyev. Just thanks to Heydar Aliyev`s exclusive merits, the relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have reached present strategic partnership level", Aslanov noted. He underlined that now this policy is continued successfully by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev. "And according to this course, we consider as our debt to bring practical contribution to the further expansion of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations of friendship and brotherhood", the Director General of AzerTAc stated.
Having expressed gratitude to Sergey Naryshkin for such high award, A. Aslanov noted that as a statesman he makes all efforts that our countries and peoples became even closer to each other.
Aslan Aslanov noted that this is also important that this solemn ceremony has coincided with the Baku International Humanitarian Forum. "It is also significant that similar events which has already got the international status are conducted under patronage of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia and already became one more symbol of the Azerbaijani-Russian friendship", he stressed.
Speaking about mutual cooperation of AzerTAc and ITAR-TASS, Mr. Aslanov noted, that thanks to efforts of the General Director of ITAR-TASS Vitaly Ignatenko, the relations between our two agencies, and as a whole the Azerbaijani-Russian relations have reached the highest level. "We are proud to state that successes of AzerTAc were promoted also by friendly and partner relations between AzerTAc and ITAR-TASS. Both in the European Alliance of News Agencies and the Organization of News Agencies of Asia and Pacific Ocean, AzerTAc and ITAR-TASS always support each other, and these relations can be example for other agencies. We never forget also merits in development of our mutual relations of our dear friend, a Bakuvite Michael Gusman whose supports we always feel", Aslan Aslanov emphasized.
At the rewarding ceremony present was also Jahan Polliyev, aide to the Russian President, Andrey Molchanov, chairman of the committee of the Federation Council on CIS affairs, Mikhail Sislyaventsky, head of the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications, Michael Gusman, the first deputy director general of ITAR-TASS, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation Polad Bulbuloglu, Members of Parliament, governmental dignitaries, public figures and representatives of popular Russian and Azerbaijani media.

AzerTAc