REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AT RECEPTION IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT OF TURKEY AHMET NECDET SEZER
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 5 2006
President of the Turkish Republic, my dear brother Ahmet Necdet Sezer!
Dear Semra khanum!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Dear guests!
Let me cordially greet you once again, and say “Welcome”. We attach a
great importance to this visit, because this visit will give a powerful
impetus to our bilateral relationship. The ties between Turkey and
Azerbaijan are based on friendship and fraternity. Our nations have
always been bound by very close ties. However, our interstate relations
were established after Azerbaijan became independent, and they have
been very rapidly developing ever since.
Turkey was the first country to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence,
and we have always felt Turkey’s help and support. We are very grateful
to you for the help and support.
There are fundamental principles our relationship is based on. The
great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s “Sorrow of Azerbaijan is sorrow
of ours, its joy is joy of ours”, and the national leader of the
Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev’s “Turkey and Azerbaijan are one
nation, two states” are the principles, which our today’s relationship
is based on, and I am confident it will be even strengthened in
the future.
The relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey are of
great significance for not only our two nations, but also the entire
region; in particular, nowadays, when Turkey and Azerbaijan have
consolidated their positions in both the region and the world: the
joint large-scale energy projects are of great importance not only for
development, strengthening peace and security in the region but also
for the whole world. This year, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
is to start operating; at the same time, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas
pipeline is to be commissioned. Those are global-scale projects, and
they, first of all, will make our states stronger, and simultaneously,
will increase our significance.
Azerbaijan and Turkey are being transformed to very important
countries to deliver the Caspian natural resources to the European
and world markets.
In addition, connection of railways is also a very important issue,
and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is already in the agenda.
Today, we have talked and exchanged views about it. I am sure, this
project will also be realized, and thereby, the railway connecting
Central Asia and Azerbaijan to Turkey, will be put into operation.
Some people once regarded the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project
as a legend. However, our joint efforts, successful activities and
regional cooperation have turned the legend into reality. I do not
doubt that the outstanding projects will also be successful.
Today, the ways of solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh have also been discussed. As you are aware, Turkey
has always been side by side with Azerbaijan in this problem. We have
always felt this support, and it is a very important factor to us,
the one, which makes Azerbaijan’s positions stronger. Azerbaijan is
seeking solution to the conflict only on the base of the international
legal norms. The international legal norms must work everywhere. The
international norms must be observed, and equal treatment rules must
be provided to all. We live in this world, are part of the world,
and the norms accepted in international organizations must be a basis
for each country. Azerbaijan’s position is exactly that territorial
integrity of our country recognized by the United Nations must be
restored. Sovereignty of Azerbaijan must be restored, the occupied
lands must be cleared from the occupation forces, and Armenia must
eliminate the consequences of its policy of ethnic cleansing against
Azerbaijanis. This position of ours is unchangeable, and solution
to the conflict can be found only if based on those principles. The
Turkey’s support to Azerbaijan, its related statements and proposals
are of great importance for us, and play a great role in the settlement
of conflict.
Our economic cooperation is rapidly developing. Trade turnover
has grown very rapidly over the last years. It indicates that our
economic relations have also reached a new phase. It makes us very
happy because solid economic relations will have an adequate impact
on other fields. Economic progress in Turkey and Azerbaijan is now
obvious. Turkey’s economy is growing and developing rapidly. Last
year, economic growth rate in Azerbaijan made up 26.4 percent. This
year, this figure will be higher. There will be new opportunities,
new projects to realize. We invite Turkish businessmen operating in
Azerbaijan to cooperation. There are already thousands of business
people who are living and working in Azerbaijan. For our part, we
will always try to take care of and provide assistance to them.
Necessary measures to improve investment environment are also
underway. The stronger economic relations will promote strengthening
those in all other fields.
I would like to reiterate that what unites us are our historic roots,
joint history, traditions, religion, language and culture. Those
are great basis, on which the two brotherly countries – Turkey and
Azerbaijan – are strengthening their relations and working on new
projects. It is reality that the issues of great importance to our
countries, the region, and the world, are solved in Ankara and Baku.
I do not doubt that our positions will become even stronger in the
future. The Turkey-Azerbaijan cooperation is the basic condition for
our successful development.
My dear brother, esteemed head of state, I welcome you again here
in Baku.
Thank you.