PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN: "KARABAKH WILL NEVER BE INDEPENDENT, AZERBAIJAN WILL NEVER RECOGNIZE IT. NEITHER IN FIVE, TEN NOR IN TWENTY YEARS. NEVER"
Today.Az
24 October 2008 [17:37]
Azerbaijan
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev thanked the Azerbaijani people
for his re-election during his inauguration ceremony in Baku Friday.
"I am grateful to the Azerbaijani people for voting for me. I pledge to
spare no efforts for the development of the country and improvement
of people’s welfare", said I.Aliyev at the inauguration ceremony
according to Interfax-Azerbaijan.
He also thanked the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan for holding the
electoral campaign. "I am also grateful to other candidates who
congratulated me with the victory", said I.Aliyev.
"I hope these elections will play a role in strengthening the election
culture, bringing new traditions and after that the political struggle
will be only civilian", said Aliyev.
He noted that great progress has been recorded in all directions in
Azerbaijan through the past five years. "Azerbaijan has consolidated
its positions and political and economic reforms as well as the
democratization process are held successfully. Today Azerbaijan has
intensified its position in the world community. We base our policy
on national interests, national dignity, national conscience and
tolerance. All people in Azerbaijan live in conditions of peace. Civil
solidarity has fully established in Azerbaijan", said Aliyev.
"Our policy is clear. All our actions are aimed at strengthening the
country, deepening of economic reforms and raising people’s welfare. We
have done a huge work in the sphere of international affairs. We
are interested in building mutually profitable relations with all
countries. The countries, cooperating with us in the region are
satisfied with this cooperation. We want the neighbor states to live
in conditions of peace and cooperation", said the head of the state.
"We are interested in continuation of friendly relations with
all countries. Our relations and positions in the international
organizations have deepened. I do not doubt that in the future our
policy will be more flexible and purposeful and in the result our
international position will further strengthen", said Aliyev.
Nagorno Karabakh will never be independent, said President of
Azerbaijan while speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Baku Friday.
"Karabakh will never be independent. Azerbaijan will never recognize
it. Neither in five, ten, nor in twenty years. Never", said I.Aliyev.
He noted that the talks on the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict are held in the framework of the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan.
"The undertaken steps have promoted the consolidation of our
position. Today, the world understands that the conflicts must find
their solution in this region. This can happen only in the framework
of the international law and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan",
said Aliyev.
"Azerbaijan will never agree to the cessation of its lands. And we,
by strengthening our territorial integrity, will attain the return
of the occupied lands. International law and historical justice is on
our side. The cooperation with Armenia is out of the question unless
our lands are liberated", said Aliyev.
He noted that the potential of the peaceful talks have not been
exhausted yet.
"We are interested in continuation of talks, our hopes have not
melted away yet, we still consider that the talks may promote the
just resolution of the conflict", said Aliyev.
"The opposition side must accept the reality, which implies that
it is difficult and even impossible to rival Azerbaijan today. Our
political and economic potential, economic streng, international
law and justice is on our side, strengthening our positions. I am
sure that in the result of all these factors and our active policy,
our lands will be liberated", said the head of the state.
He noted that through the past five years the potential of the
Armed Forces of Azerbaijan has strongly consolidated. "The level of
preparation and professionalism has grown much. Construction will
also accelerate in the future. Much has been done for improvement of
the material and technical basis of the army. In 2003 the military
spendings of the country made $163 mln while in 2008 this amount
reached $1,085,000,000 and in the coming years these expenses will
grow. The draft budget for 2009 will envision greater amounts for the
armed forces and, thus, by creating a strong army, we are accelerating
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. All these factors play
their role and the opposite side should know and it really knows
that Azerbaijan is a strong state. We are strong both economically
and politically", said the head of the state.
"Azerbaijan has settled all the issues of its energy security",
said President Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration ceremony.
"We have settled all tasks, set before us. Today Azerbaijan has
settled issues of energy security by 100%", said Aliyev noting that
this is a problem which raises the world community’s concerns today.
At the same time, I.Aliyev said that the oil strategy of Azerbaijan
was of great use for the country. The country is participating in
the successfully implemented large regional oil and gas projects,
owing to which Azerbaijan has turned into the gas exporting country.
"These projects will ensure the long-term, successful and stable
development of Azerbaijan", noted the President.
The head of the state said that oil and gas extraction has grown
significantly through the past five years.
"In 2003 oil production was 15.4 mln tons, this year oil production
must top 50 mln tons. In 2003 gas extraction made 5.5 bln cubic meters,
while this year it will top 20 bln cubic meters. It is a significant
rise, attained through a short period of time", said Aliyev.
According to the head of the state, Azerbaijan has ensured its
multi-directional energy policy and today export of energy sources
is conducted by means of seven oil and gas pipelines in different
directions.
"Energy policy ensures our economic security and enabled us to
successfully implement the creative and infrastructural projects. We
are fully confident that we will further live within an independent
state, basing on these achievements", said Aliyev.
He noted that "today Azerbaijan is really an independent state".
"We are holding an independent policy. Both internal and external
policy serves the interests of the Azerbaijani people", concluded
the President.