AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT "RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS OUR DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL TRIUMPH"

Azeri Press Agency
March 20 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev-APA. Today Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the holiday
festivities organized in front of the "Gosha Gala" Gate – in the
center of Baku City.

APA reports that President Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the
event. He said Novruz was a sacred holiday for Azerbaijani People
and spoke of the history of this holiday. Touching upon the economic
reforms implemented in the country, the head of state emphasized
that the economic growth rate in Azerbaijan was on a high level. To
the president, solution of social problems is always in the focus of
the government’s attention. Aliyev said that Azerbaijan carried out
huge and historical projects in the region and added that economic
indicators of the country increased twice over the last 4 years.

According to Ilham Aliyev, there are ad hoc programs on each sphere
for the continuation of economic advancement and implementation of
new projects in the country.

Along with the economic achievements, the head of state also shared his
views on internal and external policy of Azerbaijan. To the President,
Azerbaijan’s reputation rapidly increases across the globe.

Touching upon the adoption of "resolution recognizing Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity and demanding Armenian forces’ withdrawal from
occupied territories" in the UN General Assembly, President Aliyev
called it diplomatic and political triumph of Azerbaijan.

The head of state also shared his views on Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and underlined that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was not a
subject matter. Ilham Aliyev stated that the Government attached
particular attention to the army building and added that the war was
not over yet and we were simply in cease-fire regime.

President Aliyev noted that energy security of Azerbaijan had
already been maintained and stressed that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines were the historical achievements
of the country. The president stated that the Government also
pays special attention to further development of non-oil sector in
Azerbaijan. According to Ilham Aliyev, development of culture in the
country, major repair and rehabilitation operations in historical
sites of Baku as well as construction of new museums and theatres
will be continued henceforth.

At the conclusion of his speech, the President of Azerbaijan
congratulated the People of Azerbaijan once again on the occasion of
Novruz Holiday.