Ladies and gentlemen,

I warmly greet you in the city of Baku – capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, one of the countries, with ancient traditions and rich cultural heritage that situates on the south edge of route of the Volga and wish success in your generous mission.

In the history of mankind, the roads and transport junctions, being means of rapprochement of states and peoples, had essential influence on such aspects of life as policy, economy, trade and culture.

Along centuries, promoting peace, cooperation and good neighborhood, the Great Route of the Volga unites many countries. This route has great importance in the cause of preservation of their historical-cultural heritage, forming and spreading mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership on the base of tolerance.

The Great Route of Volga, being at the junction with the Great Silk Route and being one of the major communication nets, played particular role in the economic and cultural development of the states of region, laying favorable ground for expansion of the Great Silk Route, easing access of other countries and peoples to this significant transport corridor.

The Great Route of Volga is one of the most ancient and largest trans-continental terminals of the Eurasia communication system. This Route, along the century, was a significant factor in forming close contacts among the nations, populated at a large extent, bounding the Baltic Sea and the Caspian with the Persian Gulf.

The Caspian Sea and the region of the Caspian basin, for its unique natural wealth, as well as thanks to its favorable geographical position at the juncture of the Great Silk and Volga Routes, has always been in the focus of the important political processes and exerted positive impact on the international economic and integration process among the Caspian littoral states.

Azerbaijan, from the earliest times, being one of the major connective links of the Great Volga Route, made worthy historical contributions to the cause of development of social-economic and cultural inter-relations, as well as data exchange. Our country after regaining independence, is realizing bilateral, regional and multi-lateral cooperation with all states on the ground of sovereign equity territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and other universally recognized principles of international law, is fully resolute to conduct activities in the field of expansion of international links.

Conducting in Baku the present stage of the international scientific-practical conference dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of foundation of the city of Kazan – one of the ancient cultural centers, being a bright sample of eternity and inviolability of the historical-cultural links among the nations, will make significant contributions to unification of the efforts for preservation of the national-cultural heritage of civilization, to the mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation among the peoples, united by the Great Volga Route.

I wish you success in your important initiative, and the ancient and eternally young city of Kazan - progress and prosperity.

Heydar Aliyev,

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

4 August 2003