Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a visit to Azerbaijan on August 13. During the visit, he was accompanied by a broad delegation of government officials from the Russian Federation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a one-to-one meeting, after which they held an expanded meeting and signed a number of Azerbaijani-Russian documents in Baku.
Vlasov said a lot of time has passed since the last meeting between the two leaders, and although the matter of personal sympathy for Putin is important, it is not paramount.
The leaders of the two countries, according to Vlasov, needed to `feel` the mood and attitude towards each other and any possible fundamental changes.
"Now the situation is simpler as the positions of the presidents on most issues were outlined very clearly in work and collaboration," he said.
According to the expert, the foundation of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan should be strengthened and the documents that were signed during the visit including in the humanitarian field, should be complemented by the initiatives at a level of higher education institutions, non-governmental agencies, news agencies and the media.
Vlasov praised the Baku Humanitarian Forum project.
"However, it is held once a year and it is necessary to look for a permanent form of communication, especially among the youth and young professionals, including historians, political scientists and sociologists," he said.
According to Associate Professor of the History Department of the Moscow State University named after Lomonosov Ismail Agakishiev, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin actually know each other quite well and enjoy absolutely trust.
"The very atmosphere and the mood of Putin`s visit were testimony to it," Agakishiyev said.
According to him there is no single question that cannot be solved at the negotiating table.
"The agreements strengthen the foundation of bilateral relations, but they would work only when there is trust between us," the expert said.
In his view this trust must be present not only at the level of the leaders, but at a wider level as well.
"It is not PR that is important, but real steps taken to ensure adequate perception of the image of Azerbaijan in Russia and vice versa," Agakishiyev said.
In his opinion, is not accidental that Putin noted the high level of support for the Russian language in Azerbaijan and commented that "it could not be otherwise given the attitude of the elite, business and intellectual community of Azerbaijan towards the Russian culture and language. This is the foundation of our relationship."
According to Agakishiev, such flagship projects in the field of education as a branch of Moscow State University in Baku create serious prospects for innovation and it is particularly pleasant that the presidents of the two countries mention it in their speeches.
"I agree with the fact that the vector of bilateral cooperation should be shifted in the direction of communications between civil institutions of Azerbaijan and Russia which can be identified as a task for today," he said.
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