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TO AZERBAIJANIS
OF THE WORLD
Dear compatriots!
I am addressing you on the occasion of the World
Azerbaijanis' Solidarity Day, one of the most important holidays of the
Azerbaijani people. Every year since Azerbaijan re-gained its independence, the 31st of December
has been celebrating by our compatriots across the world as the day of unity
and solidarity.
Azerbaijan's statehood, respect to our people's
national and moral values, the senses and ideas of belonging to the people of
Azerbaijan and affection for Motherland are what constitute the very essence
of this holiday initiated by our national leader Heydar Aliyev.
A great deal of work has been done over the past
period to enhance and enrich the matter of solidarity of the world
Azerbaijanis. The idea of solidarity of Azerbaijanis has transformed from
being the public's initiatives and wishes to practical work, and has become
one of the most important trends in the state's policy. The government has
been engaged in purposeful activity for setting up organizations of
Azerbaijanis in the countries of their living, and enhancing their unity and
organized activities.
Initiated and presided over by Heydar Aliyev in
November 2001, the First Congress of the World Azerbaijanis set the tasks
ahead, gave a powerful impetus to the process of uniting the Azerbaijanis
around their nation, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and played a key role in development of the idea
of national unity.
Following the Congress, the State Committee on
Working with Azerbaijanis Living in Foreign Countries was set up, and the Law
on state policy towards our compatriots was passed. It has fostered setting
up organizations of our compatriots abroad as the idea of Azerbaijanism
comprising national-moral values and those common to all mankind, and based
on belonging to the Azerbaijani people and nation, has widely spread among
the Azerbaijanis all over the world.
Today, we can talk about a new stage of pursuing
the state policy towards strengthening of unity and solidarity of our
compatriots living abroad. It is connected on the one hand, with Azerbaijan's strengthening politically and economically, the
country's turning into a leading state in the region, and enhancing its
international prestige, and on the other hand, with qualitatively new matter
of the work with the Azerbaijanis living abroad, and the new tasks ahead.
For the time being, the outstanding tasks of the
Azerbaijani government are protection of our compatriots' human and civic
rights enshrined in the international conventions, turning into an organized
influential force in countries of their living, and increasing the
responsibility for the fates of the world Azerbaijanis.
All of the state bodies should be closely involved
in these activities, know their concrete duties, and work in close
collaboration. Enhancing the influence of the Azerbaijani communities in
foreign countries on local political and economic life, creating unified
organizations in these countries, forming influential Azerbaijani lobbies in
the world's leading countries, establishing fruitful cooperation with
friendly communities and lobbies are the outstanding tasks of the Azerbaijan Republic and our compatriots abroad.
Purposeful and successive measures should be
undertaken to safeguard the national-moral values and progressive traditions
of the Azerbaijanis, as well as create cultural centers and ensure their
useful activities. Involvement of our compatriots in economic, social and
cultural life in Azerbaijan should be ensured, and their role in bringing Azerbaijan's realities to the world, and strengthening of
relationship between their historical Motherland with the countries of their
living should be increased.
The Azerbaijanis living abroad should also be
actively engaged in timely exposing treacherous plans of Armenian propaganda,
resolutely suppress the facts of falsifications of our history and cultural
heritage misleading the international community, and should coordinate these
activities with relevant state bodies of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is now experiencing a very important and crucial
period in its history. Azerbaijan is decisively following the path of integration
into the international community bringing all spheres of its life to
conformity with modern global criteria.
The parliamentary elections held in our country in
November this year became an important step towards democratization of
political life, and ensuring human rights and freedoms. In 2005, Azerbaijan's economy achieved the highest growth rate, its
volume has increased by 26 percent; Azerbaijan is the world's leading country on this indicators.
Economic, legal and structural reforms are realized with confidence in our
country, and this work will be resolutely continued.
Efforts towards fair settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with
international law norms have been enhanced. Full commissioning in 2006 of the
main export Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines -
the greatest energy project of our era - will change the guise of the whole
region opening brand new possibilities to our country. Realization of the oil
strategy initiated by Heydar Aliyev will enhance Azerbaijan's international prestige. All these
accomplishments demonstrate that Azerbaijan is on the right path. We are pursuing deliberate
policy. Both domestic and foreign policy and safeguarding socio-political
stability are the most important conditions for long-lasting and sustainable
development of our country. The rapidly growing potential of Azerbaijan will become a powerful factor helping with finding
solutions to all of our problems including those concerning the world
Azerbaijanis.
Dear compatriots!
I cordially congratulate you on this holiday, and
wish all of you good health, well-being, national unity and solidarity, and
new accomplishments on the path towards progress of our Motherland.
Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku, 29 December 2005
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