AZERI PRESIDENT DUE IN KUWAIT
By Ben Garcia
Kuwait Times
Dec 11 2008
Kuwait
KUWAIT: The Azeri President Ilham Aliyev is due to visit Kuwait during
the first quarter of 2009, revealed Ambassador Shahin Sh. Abdullayev in
an exclusive interview with the Kuwait Times yesterday. The Ambassador
made the announcement in an exclusive interview with the Kuwait Times
on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the death of the country’s
founding father, President Heydar Alirza Oglu Aliyev, which falls
this Friday. During President Aliyev’s two-day visit, a number of
agreements will be signed in cluding various accords dealing with
subjects including trade, education, cultural cooperation and the
avoidance of double taxation, said Abdullayev.
The president’s visit will be the first high-level contact by
Azerbaijan leader to Kuwait. "Kuwait and Azerbaijani bilateral
relations are still young, but we have high hopes that everything
will be cemented the moment that both countries sign these important
agreements," Abdullayev said.
The president, currently in his second term, succeeded his father
Heydar Aliyev by election when the former died in 2003. Ilham
successfully won re-election in October 2008.
There was no doubt that he was the right person to succeed his
father who has done so much for our country," he noted. Previously,
Heydar Aliyev held position as Secretary General of the Soviet Union
Central Committee until the collapse of the Soviet Union under Mikhail
Gorbachev. He then returned to his native Nakhchivan, where he lived as
a normal citizen, but was eventually selected by his fellow townspeople
to lead Nakhchivan.
Chaos and anarchy reigned in Azerbaijan during those periods and
people were tired and were looking for someone who could lead the
country to national unity and reconciliation. As a distinguished
and experienced man, Heydar was the only Azeri statesman whom they
knew could unite the country. So, after series of talks with Aliyev,
he finally agreed to lead Azerbaijan in a new era of change.
Abdullayev noted that during the transition (from the USSR to free
Azerbaijan) emerging leaders wanted to pursue their own interests,
backed by powers such the Russians, Turkish and Iranians.
Ambassador Abdullayev admitted that political history in Azerbaijan was
quite complicated during these periods and leaders knew that Aliyev
was the only force that could bring Azerbaijan back to stability and
calmness thereby achieved miracles on all fronts.
In just one year, he re-created the country; he reconciled all the
political parties from north to south, east to west. He invited
investors and make millions of jobs for our people. He put our
nation on the world map, established good relations with the rest of
the world such as the United States, Russia, Turkey, Iran, European
countries and Asia. We have also initiated a plan to join international
organizations such as NATO and others. From that time on, we have
improved our relations tremendously in t he international community
and people from all walks of life have a high regard for him, whom
we now call our founding father," Ambassador Abullayev enthused.
Abdullayev also mentioned the founding father’s initiative to sign a
ceasefire agreement with the Armenians. "We only have one problem with
Armenians; they continue to defy United Nations resolution requiring
them to withdraw their troops from our territory," he said.
The ambassador also spoke about Azerbajan’s bilateral relations with
Kuwait, saying that these are going from strength to strength. "Kuwait
has supported us in many forms from our conflict with the Armenians
and we are receiving assistance for our refugees. Our embassy here
opened in 2004 and Kuwait has opened their permanent mission in Baku
[the Azeri capital] in 2006. We know that both countries have many
opportunities and are just waiting for the right time to be tapped.
Kuwaiti companies have visited Azerbaijan and negotiated with our
government. We are open for foreign investors," he explained. According
to Abdullayev, Azerbaijan’s Gross Domestic Products grew three-fold
between 2003 and 2008, leaping from 26 to 36 percent. Growth and
continuous development have slashed the poverty rate from 49 percent
in 2003 to just 16 percent in 2007. Azerbaijan’s current population
is 8.5 million.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
