AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 17 2005
SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION VLADIMIR PUTIN
[February 16, 2005, 20:04:21]
“Dear Ilham Heydarovich,
Dear friends,
Today, certainly, is a significant day. We have prepared for it with
special feeling, with special goodwill for our Azerbaijan friends and
colleagues. Now, opening the Year of Azerbaijan in Russia, I am glad
to see in Moscow participants and visitors of this celebration. And,
certainly, I want to thank sincerely the President of Azerbaijan, all
people who took part in development of this action, its preparation,
for the big work, which has been done by this moment. It is
confident, what not smaller work and with huge positive result will
be done within the year.
The initiative to carry out so scale actions both in Russia, and in
Azerbaijan was born one year ago during visit of the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Heydarovich to Moscow. It has been widely maintained
both by the public, and creative collectives. I think it could not be
differently. In fact, our peoples are interested in strengthening of
friendly relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. Peoples with the
common history, similar world visions, and close interlacing of human
destinies. At all national originality, our peoples were always
interesting and important for each other. Also it will be especially
valuable, on all turns of history, we have supported each other,
remaining trustworthy allies and kind friends.
I want to note especially, that for last years, for last decade, such
positive development of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia
became possible due to authority and wisdom of Heydar Aliyev. We in
Russia remember, we honor his merits and his memory. Peoples of
Russia and Azerbaijan faithfully regard our common heritage both in
peace, and in military. I shall not list names of everyone who has
brought in huge contribution to science, culture of the former Soviet
Union, in our common development. The brotherhood of our peoples has
passed training in struggle against fascism. The 60th anniversary of
the Victory comes nearer. And, it is natural, that we shall mark it
together. I am grateful to the President of Azerbaijan that he has
accepted the invitation and will be in Moscow on May 8-9 this year.
Taking the chance, I want to greet veterans of Azerbaijan. We honor
courage and heroism of 600 thousand Azerbaijanis, which
self-denyingly battled on fronts of Great Patriotic War and brought
our general victory. 42 from them became Heroes of Soviet Union, and
12 -knights of “Slava” Order. Today, the Russian-Azerbaijan
political, economic and cultural dialogue consistently and actively
develop. Citizens of both countries connect with its development the
solution of the vital problems. The question is mutually advantageous
cooperation, about questions of employment and migration, about use
of the common cultural-information space, including in sphere of
education, and also about preservation of rich national traditions.
Just the President has mentioned that for last year our commodity
circulation has grown for 50 percent. It is bright result of last
years. I would like to emphasize especially also, that our
partnership is a significant factor of regional stability. We are
equally interested in more active use of CIS opportunities. And for
solution of our common social and economic problems, and for joint
counteraction to threats of national safety, terrorism and extremism.
Russia aspires to promote also to a worthy outcome of the Karabakh
problem and provide reliable safety in this region.
In rapprochement of peoples of Russia and Azerbaijan, we give a
special role to humanitarian connections; we support preservation of
the common spiritual heritage of our peoples. And in this connection,
I want to note successful realization of the first stage of the
Program of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere designed for
2004-2006. Human contacts are inexhaustible strategic resource, which
underlies original interethnic and inter-confessional consent. And
the weightiest word here belongs to creative and scientific
intelligentsia, the religious public, and representatives of the most
different faiths, the Diasporas. Their authority and creative energy
are capable to enrich our dialogue considerably. It is convinced that
uniting all these programs the Year of Azerbaijan in Russia should
open road to new public and business initiatives, direct contacts
between people. We support the closest cooperation with Azerbaijan
and we feel same on the part of our partners.
Once again I want to wish our nations peace and welfare, and to the
Year of Azerbaijan in Russia I want to tell: “Welcome!”
***
After the official part, was held concert with participation of the
masters of art of Azerbaijan.