Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
April 19 2004

CONSTITUENT CONFERENCE OF CONGRESS OF EUROPEAN AZERBAIJANIS HELD IN
BERLIN
[April 19, 2004, 16:34:08]

As correspondent of AzerTAj reported, on April 17, constituent
conference of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe (CAE) was held
in well-known Berlin hotel “Hilton”.

The Conference was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijan
communities and Diaspora organizations of Ukraine, the Russian
Federation, Belarus, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Finland,
Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, France, Spain, Czech, Poland, Romania,
Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, heads of the Azerbaijan societies
functioning in the US, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrghyzstan, head
of socio-political department of Administration of the President of
Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov, delegation of the State Committee on work
with the Azerbaijanis living in foreign countries, led by chairman of
committee Nazim Ibrahimov, the ambassador of our country in Germany
Huseynaga Sadigov, members of Great National Assembly of Turkey.

In the beginning, the national anthem of the Azerbaijan Republic was
performed.

Memory of the national leader Heydar Aliyev was revered with a moment
of silence.

Opening the conference by opening address, chairman of the State
Committee on Work with the Azerbaijanis living in foreign countries,
Nazim Ibrahimov, named creation of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of
Europe as an important event for association of Diaspora
organizations of this continent. He expressed confidence that the new
structure would carry out purposeful activity in strengthening of
connections of our compatriots living in Europe with their historical
Motherland – Azerbaijan, maintenance of political, spiritual unity
and solidarity between Azerbaijanis of the world.

Mr. Ali Hasanov has read congratulatory message of the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of Conference.

In the first part of the conference, passed under the motto `Modern
Azerbaijan realities – the new stage of development and cooperation’,
have been heard reports of Ali Hasanov, on the topic `Azerbaijan on
the European space – the European states: democracy, secularity,
supremacy of law becomes norm of civil society’, ambassador Huseynaga
Sadigov – `Azerbaijani-German relations at the present stage’,
representative of the Ministry of Economic Development Samad Bashirov
– `Updating and dynamics in the Azerbaijan economy’, the adviser of
vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Eldar Shahbazov
– `Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan – the bridge between the countries of the
Caspian region and Mediterranean’, the leading expert of the Ministry
of Youth, Sports and Tourism Farid Akhundov – `Opportunities of
tourist potential in Azerbaijan’.

In second half, discussed were issues of `Modern state and prospects
of development of the Azerbaijan Diaspora’. The speakers touched the
prospects of development of the Azerbaijan Diaspora, its
participation in the political life of the countries of residing, the
role in settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, relations of the Azerbaijan communities with local state
structures at the decision of problems and cares of our compatriots,
of problems and cares in the field of protection of the rights of
Azerbaijanis in the countries of Europe.

The Conference has discussed the project of the Charter of the
Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe and elected the directing bodies
of structure – the Central Council and Executive Committee. The
president of Association of Turkish-German businessmen Bahyaddin Gaya
was elected Chairman of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe, and
executive director of All-Russia Azerbaijan congress Natig Agamirov
and chairman of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Ukraine Ogtay
Efendiyev – vice-chairmen.

After statement of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe, heads of
more than 50 communities and associations have signed the Protocol of
the official consent, and have called societies, associations and
national structures in other countries for cooperation in the name of
our national interests.

The Headquarters and Coordination Secretary of the Congress will
locate in Berlin. After official registration in Germany, the
Congress will receive the right to put before the international
organizations the questions connected to problems of Azerbaijan and
Azerbaijanis.

Chairman of the State Committee on Work with the Azerbaijanis Living
Abroad Nazim Ibrahimov has held a news conference devoted to results
of the Conference.

After the Conference, was organized a concert program of masters of
the art of Azerbaijan.