▁statement ▁that ▁status ▁qu o ▁in ▁Nag orno - Kar ab akh ▁conflict ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁right ▁option ▁and ▁he ▁hopes ▁that ▁there ▁can ▁be ▁a ▁res umption ▁of ▁negoti ations ▁and ▁he ▁ur ged ▁other ▁co - ch airs ▁of ▁the ▁Min sk ▁Group , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Russia , ▁to ▁contribute ▁to ▁this ▁process . ▁ ▁Rel ations ▁with ▁Russia ▁▁ ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁repeatedly ▁character ized ▁A zer ba ij an - Russ ia ▁relations ▁as ▁strateg ic ▁partners hip . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁and ▁Vladimir ▁Put in , ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁Russia , ▁signed ▁the ▁Moscow ▁Dec laration , ▁which ▁stated ▁principles ▁of ▁relations ▁between ▁A zer ba ij an ▁and ▁Russia . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁President ▁Ali ye v ▁adopted ▁an ▁Order ▁to ▁held ▁“ Year ▁of ▁Russia ▁in ▁A zer ba ij an ” ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁following ▁the ▁decision ▁of ▁Russia ▁to ▁held ▁" Year ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an ▁in ▁Russia " ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁paid ▁a ▁working ▁visit ▁to ▁Moscow ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁ceremony ▁of ▁opening ▁the ▁Year ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an ▁in ▁Russia . ▁. ▁Four ▁months ▁later , ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 4 – 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0