His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Dear Mr. President, Dear friend,On behalf of the people of Israel, I offer my warmest congratulations on your recent re-election as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. I am confident that you will continue to lead your country to further growth, stability and prosperity in the coming years. For decades, our nations have enjoyed warm relations based on shared objectives and interests. Since you assumed the presidency more than two decades ago, our cooperation has expanded and reached new heights in many fields. I thank you for your friendship towards the State of Israel, which was clearly demonstrated in the historic opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Israel last year and serves as a source of strength and encouragement, especially in this difficult and challenging time for Israel. I look forward to continuing to work closely with you to develop our partnership even further in the years ahead. Sincerely,   Benjamin NetanyahuPrime Minister of the State of Israel