Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has reaffirmed the strategic nature of the relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan and their common interests on the international arena.

"Vladimir Putin is sending you his best regards, warmly recalling his last year visit, the informal talks in addition to the formal ones. We share your views with regard to the strategic nature of our relations, the development in all areas, including economic, investment, humanitarian ones," Lavrov said at a meeting with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev at his residence.

"We also have quite a few common interests at the regional and international levels. Today we discussed it in detail at a meeting with my counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov: both preparations for the Caspian summit and the status of affairs in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, we discussed our common tasks in the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe where Azerbaijan currently leads the Committee of Ministers," Lavrov said.