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  • BAKU: Speech of Aliyev at Novruz festivities

    AzerTag, Azerbaijan
    March 22 2005

    INDEPENDENT PEOPLE OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS NATIONAL HOLIDAY NOVRUZ WITH
    NEW SUCCESSES
    SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AT THE NATIONWIDE
    NOVRUZ FESTIVITIES
    [March 22, 2005, 15:39:41]

    Dear country fellows,

    Dear sisters and brothers,

    I cordially congratulate all of you on the occasion of the dearest
    holiday of the Azerbaijani people, Novruz Bayrami, and wish each of
    you health and success.

    Novruz Bayrami has always lived in heart of the Azerbaijani people.
    The Azerbaijani people preserved this holiday for centuries. However,
    only after regaining by the Azerbaijan people of the state
    independence, this holiday started to be marked as the state holiday.
    Independence of Azerbaijan is our biggest property. All of us should
    every day, every month and every year maintain, protect, strengthen
    this independence.

    After gaining the state independence, Azerbaijan experienced heavy
    conditions, and there were big threats. It is possible to tell that
    a crisis ruled in the country, and the future of Azerbaijan could
    face very big dangers. Thanks to wisdom and will of our nation,
    Heydar Aliyev has come to power, and after that the situation in the
    country was completely changed.

    For the period since 1993 to 2003, Azerbaijan has passed big way of
    development. We see, and we feel this development in all directions.
    The processes proceeding in the country, economic development,
    political reforms, and growth of authority of the country today have
    transformed Azerbaijan into very strong state in region.

    Since 2003, in our country positive tendencies in all directions
    have even more strengthened. Azerbaijan confidently develops, and
    even more strengthens the state independence. Our authority on region
    grows. Carried out in Azerbaijan political, economic reforms in the
    near future will transform our country into stronger state. I have no
    doubt about it. From this point of view, 2004 was very successful for
    our country. Azerbaijan successfully moves ahead in all directions.
    In 2004, all questions to be solved have found solution.

    2004, from the point of view of economic development was very
    successful, and opening of 170 thousand workplaces is evidence to
    that. In Azerbaijan, social questions find quick solution. Increase
    of the minimal wages more than twice, increase of pensions, and other
    social payments has one purpose. And this purpose is that the people of
    Azerbaijan lived better, and that in Azerbaijan was created stronger
    economic potential, and each citizen of the country has improved his
    vital conditions. It is our strategic course, and a priority question
    for us.

    I am very glad, that all questions stipulated in the last year, have
    been solved, all promises given at presidential elections carried in
    2003, have found their reflection in life.

    I am very glad that all plans and projects have found their solution
    with support of Azerbaijan people. It is confident that 2005 will
    be successful for our country. Anyway, the first months of year
    evidently testify that positive promotion is observed in economic
    development. However, 2005, in many respects will be decisive. In
    2005, will be commissioned the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
    after Heydar Aliyev and this in many respects determines future of
    Azerbaijan. With commissioning of the said pipeline, new situation
    will be created in region. In Azerbaijan, all stipulated projects
    will start to be executed even more intensively. It is our desire.
    Azerbaijan will become richer. Our people will live better. I do not
    doubt of it, and all our efforts serve one purpose: to make Azerbaijan
    rich, to improve vital conditions of people living in the country,
    even more to strengthen our positions in region and as a result to
    solve all questions the country faces.

    Parliamentary elections will take place in 2005 in Azerbaijan. We
    attach great importance to these elections, and I do not doubt that
    they will be important stage in democratic development of Azerbaijan.
    I am confident that elections will be carried out in conditions of
    transparency and justice, and the determination of Azerbaijan people
    will find its expression at these elections.

    The will, desire and dream of Azerbaijani people are for us a priority
    question. Support of our policy in 2003 creates remarkable conditions
    for more successful realization of all tasks. I always feel this
    support, I base on it, and the political, economic reforms conducted
    in the country, also base on this support.

    I want to hope that 2005 can become important also in the settlement
    of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I want to hope
    that in this direction there can be a promotion. Anyway, the existing
    and coming processes give basis to speak about it. Diplomatic successes
    of Azerbaijan, political steps undertaken in this area, already have
    created new conditions in negotiating process. The discussions, which
    have been carried out in the United Nations, the resolutions adopted
    by the Council of Europe, increase of attention to this question
    in other international organizations, are positive phenomenon. I am
    confident that it is those questions, which render positive influence
    on process of negotiations.

    Cause of Azerbaijan is just. We want to restore our territorial
    integrity on the basis of principles of international law and we shall
    achieve it. Let nobody has doubt of it. Simply, we want to solve it in
    the peace way, by negotiations. We hope, that this way of negotiations
    will lead to settlement of the question. It cannot be otherwise.

    Norms of international law should be main principles for each
    country. Azerbaijan did not occupy the lands of any other country. We
    do not want lands of others countries. However, we shall not give
    to anybody our lands. If we cannot achieve it in the peace way, new
    position will be created, and in this case Azerbaijan will resort
    to other variants. However, to solve this question, as a whole to
    develop our country even more comprehensively, we should be strong.
    We should strengthen our economic potential. And should do big work
    on construction of army, and improve living standards of our people.
    In a word, we should transform Azerbaijan into a rich, powerful
    state. Only in this case, all questions we face can easily find their
    solution. Only in this case, Azerbaijan can itself undertake serious
    steps connected to these questions. I reiterate, I hope that the
    potential of peace talks has not run low yet. I do not doubt that we
    shall achieve the fair solution, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
    will be restored and more than one million of our refugees and IDPs
    will return to their homelands.

    Dear friends!

    Dear sisters and brothers!

    Today, together with us, this remarkable holiday is being marked
    as well by the visitors from Georgia. Together with us, there is
    the spouse of my close friend and brother Michael Saakashvili, Mrs.
    Sandra. We greet her.

    We are supporters of strengthening of bilateral, mutually beneficial
    relations with all friendly, brotherly countries. We want that in
    region there was peace, calmness, and cooperation. In this case, all
    peoples living in region, all states will receive only benefit. This
    is policy of Azerbaijan. First of all, national interests of
    Azerbaijan should be protected, and well being of Azerbaijan people
    provided. At the same time, warmer relations with the next, friendly
    countries should be created that our force strengthened both inside
    and outside. If we shall be strong inside, we shall be stronger on
    international arena as well. As far as we shall reach big diplomatic
    successes, so the Azerbaijani people will benefit of it.

    Once again I warmly congratulate all of you on this remarkable holiday,
    I wish each of you health, success, happiness.

    Happy Holiday!
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