"The initiative by President Ilham Aliyev to declare 2017 a Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan will contribute to further strengthening relations among the Muslim countries," said Chairman of Azerbaijan Press Council, MP Aflatun Amashov as he addressed a conference on the Year of Islamic Solidarity and the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games to be held in Baku next month.

"By declaring 2017 a Year of Islamic Solidarity in the country, the head of state expressed both his personal and Azerbaijani government's stance on this issue. This is also a manifestation of the fact that Azerbaijan`s President attaches great importance to solidarity of the Islamic world," Amashov said.

"By putting forward this initiative, the head of state for the first time in history sent a political message to the Islamic world, poiting out the need for demonstrating a single position, and stressing the importance of unity as well as global integration. This is also indicative of the high status that the Azerbaijani President accords to Islam, and solidarity of the Muslim world," Amashov added.(AZERTAC)