On December 9, the Translation Centre under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic (AzTC) was visited by Mr Oleg Murashev, Minister-Counselor from the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Azerbaijan.
During the meeting the Russian diplomat said: “Friendly relations between our countries going perceptibly stronger by the day. I have been engaged in translation for many years… I am tied with Baku and Azerbaijan. I learned here that this Translation Centre was founded under a presidential decree, and it is satisfactory to hear of your success. Well, we were presented the catalogue of books you have translated and published from Russian. We were overjoyed with the care and attention you focus on Russian literature and culture, plus we have been impressed with your selection of literary works in particular. We hope that we will keep exploring mutually beneficial cooperation with the Translation Centre, making our own contribution to reinforcing cultural ties and literary exchanges in the future.
Director of the AzTC touched upon areas of activity and perspectives: “The Translation Centre has a 25-year history. In these years we exclusively dealt with the translation and publication of world literature. I think the new status of the Centre should be appreciated in a due and timely manner. The Presidential Decree on Establishment of the Translation Centre under the Cabinet of Ministers branched out the Translation Centre. Currently we are dealing not only with the translation of literary works, but also with improvement and regulation of the translation industry in all respects. AzTC today employs specialists majoring in leading international languages. Priority should be given to professionalism. The translation industry is a field involving knowledge, high professionalism and responsibility. It is, however, regretful that the translation is often done by unskilled translators”. 
Yashar Aliyev, Head of the Education, Culture & Science Department, touched upon the Russian Literary masterpieces translated long years ago and due to be published by AzTC: “Russian Literature made great impact on Azerbaijani novelists. Russian Literature is the focus of our interest not only as a translation material, but as literature itself. AzTC always gave proper respect to translation of Russian Literature. Currently works by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leonid Andreyev, novels and short stories by Vasily Shukshin, short stories and plays by Anton Chekhov, The Foundation Pit and Soul by Andrei Platonov, Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, The Old Man by Yuri Trifonov and Poets of Silver Epoch, collection of poems are to be published in coming months. Most of these works will be published in Azerbaijani for the first time”.     
Pusta Akhundova, Language Specialist at AzTC, gave comprehensive information on the structure, as well as its departments and divisions, publications and boards, and measures towards the improvement of the translation industry.  
At conclusion, expressing his satisfaction of being at AzTC and getting acquainted with its activity, Mr Murashеv stressed the importance of close cooperation with the Embassy of the  Russian Federation to Azerbaijan in the field of language and translation through arranging certain events.

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