National Olympic Committee President Ilham Aliyev met with the famous reps of the Soviet and Lithuanian basketball Rimas Kurtinaytus on August 16. Greeting the guest, Ilham Aliyev noted that Azeri NOC paid much attention to the development of the team kinds of sport. We have big achievements in individual kinds of sport. The team kinds of sport are very important, as they are indicators of the sport development in the country. Good achievements have been reached in volleyball, handball. However, basketball in Azerbaijan hasn't been developed in Azerbaijan as any kind of sport, so NOC board intends this popular team competitions in our country becomes one of the most prestige. In connection with it, we pay much attention to the cooperation between basketball federations of two countries, said Ilham Aliyev.

Thanking for the invitation to visit Azerbaijan, Rimas Kurtinaytis noted that he became familiar with the conditions of the sportsmen's training for the period of staying in Baku. Good opportunities for the development of many kinds of sport have been established in Azerbaijan and his country can't be proud with the same factor. It can be seen that much attention is attached to the youth and its physical and spiritual behavior. As to the sportsman, Lithuania knows about economic achievements of Azerbaijan. One of the main tasks of NOC, noted Ilham Aliyev, is attraction of young people to the sportive sections in order they could go in for sport but not waste their time.

With this purpose, first of all, we should pay much attention to it, establish conditions, stimulate in order they could train and compete in the modern conditions. Number of the sportive buildings has been constructed in Azerbaijan recently - not only in the capital but also other regions of the republic. After putting Olympic complex in Baku into exploitation, the same buildings in Nakhichevan, Mashtaga district were put into exploitation as well. Complexes in Ganja, Barda and Shaki have already been ready. Construction in Lankaran is taking place as well. It means that the work takes place in all regions of Azerbaijan, noted NOC President.

BAKU.17.08.2002.AzerTAg.