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BAKU: The state and the people will never grant independence to NK

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  • BAKU: The state and the people will never grant independence to NK

    "The Azerbaijani state and the people of the country will never grant
    independence to Daqliq Qarabaq"

    ANS
    01.01.2009 11:47

    President Ilham Aliyev congratulating Azerbaijani people on the
    occasion of Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis said.
    Ladies and gentlemen!
    Dear fellow countrymen!

    I cordially wish you a happy new year!

    The year 2008 is ending. It has been very successful for our country in
    terms of overall progress of Azerbaijan. In 2008, our economy continued
    to develop at high pace. I can say that over the past four years
    Azerbaijan has been the world`s number one in economic growth. This is
    a great achievement enabling us to successfully resolve all economic,
    infrastructure and social questions. It was not surprising that in
    2008, the World Bank named Azerbaijan as a top reformer in the world.
    It shows that the serious, deliberate economic reforms being
    implemented in Azerbaijan yield fruits, and Azerbaijan has great
    international prestige and is held in great respect around the world.
    Azerbaijan takes all necessary steps to develop its economy. The
    government provides support to development of entrepreneurship that
    will even increase in the years to come. Today, thanks to this support,
    private sector constitutes 85 percent of Azerbaijan`s economy. It is a
    great achievement demonstrating that political and economic reforms in
    Azerbaijan serve overall progress of our country and make it stronger.
    In the followi
    ng years, we will continue paying much attention to
    economic development, and, I am sure, will cope with all outstanding
    tasks.
    The State program of socio-economic development of regions implemented
    in our country has also been completed successfully. All the goals set
    forth in the program have been achieved. When adopting the program we
    were planning to open 600,000 new jobs. It is with a sense of great
    pride that I can say today that over the past five years, the number of
    new jobs has reached 750,000 giving a tremendous momentum to
    development of the regions. Our regions have seen big improvements due
    to realization of new infrastructure projects and construction of
    social objects. All this contributes to achieving overall progress in
    Azerbaijan, in all of its regions.
    Big attention has been paid to agrarian sector. We have taken
    practically all necessary measures to ensure food security, and I hope,
    in a year or two, we will fully supply ourselves with food products.
    The reforms being implemented in the agrarian sector, the government
    support for farmers, privileges and loans provided to them ` all are
    the factors, which ensure our accomplishments.
    Along with this, big attention is paid to social policy in Azerbaijan.
    Yes, our life is based on the market economy, and this is a pledge of
    our success. But at the same time, Azerbaijan`s authorities have a
    strong will to realize all social programs, and we are doing
    that.
    The past five years have seen a boom in construction of social objects
    in Azerbaijan. Over the period, 1,600 new secondary schools have been
    built in the country, and this course will be continued in the coming
    years. New modern, well-equipped medical centers have been built,
    practically, in all regions of the country, to provide people with
    high-quality medical services. It also is the result of our social
    policy.
    Implementation of a targeted social assistance program is underway that
    is of great importance as well. The number of those in poverty in
    Azerbaijan has reduced from 49 to 16 percent over the past five years,
    and I am convinced, it will be even less according to the 2008
    outcomes. However, as long as there are citizens living in poverty, the
    government must do everything possible to help them.
    That is why the targeted social assistance program will be continued,
    and I am sure that such social evil as poverty will be completely
    eliminated in Azerbaijan.
    In 2008, minimum wage and pension were increased 50 percent, and this
    policy will be continued in the following years. We must do all
    possible for our citizens to live better.
    We create conditions for those engaged in business. But the citizens
    who work at state-funded organizations should also be provided with
    necessary maintenance, and we will continue to work in this direction.
    All necessary actions have been taken in 2008 to resolve social
    proble
    ms and increase employment of refugees and internally displaced
    persons. In 2003, I promised that not a single tent camp would remain
    in Azerbaijan. We have achieved it. Today, no tent camp exists in
    Azerbaijan. Our compatriots, who earlier lived in terrible conditions,
    today are provided with excellent houses. New villages, roads, schools
    and medical centers have been built for them. In other word, we took an
    important step towards elimination of this big social evil. And we will
    continue this policy in the coming years.
    We are making efforts to achieve fair resolution of the
    Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daqliq Qarabaq problem within territorial integrity
    of Azerbaijan. In 2008, the UN General Assembly adopted a very
    important resolution on the situation in the occupied territories of
    Azerbaijan.
    Despite 3 out of 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council ` Minsk
    Group co-chairs ` opposed this resolution, it was adopted by an
    overwhelming majority of votes. On the one hand, it shows the strength
    of Azerbaijan and its enhancing prestige. On the other hand, it proves
    that justice must triumph.
    The global community supports Azerbaijan, and I have no doubt that
    resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Daqliq Qarabaq will
    be based solely on the principle of territorial integrity of
    Azerbaijan. There is no other way. The Azerbaijan state and the people
    of the country will never grant independence to Daqliq Qarabaq. Daqliq

    Qarabaq has been Azerbaijan`s land from time immemorial, and we will
    make every effort to `restore' territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We
    can use both political, diplomatic and, if necessary, military means.
    We have the right to do so. The international law guarantees it.
    As you know, much work has been done in this area. Necessary actions
    were taken in 2008 to build the army. Our military spending has reached
    USD $2 billion and is going to rise in 2009. We are doing this; we must
    do this because we live under conditions of war, which is not yet over.
    The first phase of the war has finished and we have to be ready to
    liberate our lands from invaders by any means. Military parade staged
    in 2008 demonstrated our military power to everybody.
    Azerbaijan successfully continued its energy policy in 2008. We managed
    to solve energy security problems, and today, we are working to ensure
    energy security of other states. It brings us both political and
    economic benefits, opens up new opportunities for us. Oil and gas
    pipelines such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum are
    operating successfully. Azerbaijan successfully solved, one might say,
    all oil and gas problems and achieved diversification of export.
    Today, Azerbaijan`s oil and gas serve the country ` Azerbaijan already
    supplies 85% of its domestic gas consumption. It provides us with
    economic opportunities and increases our political power. The energy
    sum
    mit held in Baku in 2008 is a striking example of this.
    The decisions made in Baku will not only strengthen Azerbaijan`s energy
    policy but also help create a new situation in the region, Europe and
    the world in general.
    We effectively use these opportunities and I have no doubt that
    Azerbaijan`s successful oil strategy will be continued in the following
    years.
    We are injecting huge funds in the energy sector. In the past five
    years, Azerbaijan has managed to build six power stations. Restoring
    and rebuilding some stations have increased our energy power. It was a
    great success as well. In a word, the state of affairs in this sector
    is pretty satisfactory. I am sure this successful policy will be
    continued in the following years.
    In 2008, we embarked on construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway,
    which is of great historical significance. After long years of
    discussions, we managed to start construction of this railway. Today,
    Azerbaijani companies are actively involved in this project.
    Construction of the railway linking Europe and Asia will strengthen
    even more both economic and geopolitical position of Azerbaijan.
    Azerbaijan will become an irreplaceable country for transportation. It
    helps ensure our long-term national interests.
    Other important events took place in transport sector. Two airports
    were put into operation in 2008 in the cities of Lankaran and Zagatala.
    New tankers are being purchased, motor highways are being built. All

    these require huge funds. Today, the Azerbaijani state possesses such
    resources. It is our successful economic policy and economic reforms
    that created such conditions for us.
    Dear friends, today is the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day as well.
    This Day is marked by Azerbaijanis across the world. The Azerbaijan
    state continues its efforts to make the world Azerbaijanis better
    organized and strengthen their solidarity. I am glad that in the
    countries where Azerbaijanis live they carry out their activities
    within respective organizations. Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations are
    getting stronger and effectively work to ensure our country`s
    interests. At the same time, the Azerbaijan government makes every
    effort to solve the problems of Azerbaijanis living abroad. We will
    always support them, and Azerbaijanis living in other states may always
    rely on their homeland.
    2008 was the year of Presidential election. The people of Azerbaijan
    expressed their will in a free and democratic manner. Availing myself
    of this opportunity, I once again want to express my gratitude to the
    people of Azerbaijan for the high confidence shown in me. This high
    confidence and kind attitude makes me even more enthusiastic.
    Five years ago, I promised the Azerbaijani people that I would do
    everything possible for the overall development of the country. I will
    be working for the sake of welfare of the people of Azerbaijan, for
    developing Azerbaijan and strengthening our
    state system. I want to say
    again that the high confidence shown in me pleases and inspires me. I
    want to assure the people of Azerbaijan that I will continue to do my
    best to worthily serve my people.

    Dear friends!
    Ladies and Gentlemen!
    Brothers and Sisters!

    Once again, I cordially congratulate you on the World Azerbaijanis
    Solidarity Day and wish you a Happy New Year. I also wish you good
    health, happiness and new successes.
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