Baku, October 23, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received Ramiz Mehdiyev and handed “Heydar Aliyev” Order to him.

President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear Ramiz muallim, you have worked in various senior positions for many years. You made great contributions to the development of our country both in the Soviet period and in the years of independence. It is no coincidence that great leader Heydar Aliyev appointed you to important posts in the years of your youth. You know that Heydar Aliyev was very demanding in the selection of personnel and had a number of very serious criteria. The fact that you were appointed you to senior roles at a young age showed that you deserved it. As a young and talented individual, you worked under the leadership of the great leader both in the Soviet period and in the years of independence. I remember that in the Soviet period, in the 1970s, you were appointed as first secretary of the main district of Baku, the then 26 Baku commissioners district, currently Sabayil district, and you made great strides in this role. After that, the great leader invited you to the Central Committee where you were the head of the organizational department. This was perhaps the most senior department of the Central Committee because the focus of this department was on issues of personnel training. When Heydar Aliyev began working in the Politburo in Moscow, you know that on his recommendation you were appointed to the post of ideology secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. This was a very important position, as you were in charge of ideological work. Of course, after great leader Heydar Aliyev was groundlessly dismissed from all posts, you were also dismissed, and only after Heydar Aliyev returned to power in Azerbaijan did he invite you again. This was a sign of great confidence because, as both you and I know quite well, many of those who were brought up by Heydar Aliyev, those he promoted to senior roles betrayed him. So after returning to power in 1993, he didn’t trust them any longer. The fact that he immediately appointed you to the position indicates that he believed in you. At the same time, in those difficult years for our people, you remained loyal to the great leader, and during your work under his leadership you proved that. Heydar Aliyev appointed you to the post of head of the Presidential Administration, and you have achieved great success in this very important and responsible role. For the past 16 years, we have been working together. It is possible to say that we are in touch on a daily basis, we talk several times a day. You have a very large and undeniable role in the successful and comprehensive development of our country. I treat you with great respect. You have always viewed our statehood to be above everything, and today the Azerbaijani state is developing, all the tasks facing us are being fulfilled. You have played a major role in all this.

However, life does not stand still, you are now in your eighties, and you have always said that we must promote youth, give way to the younger generation so that they grow mature and our development becomes long-term. Young people should mature enough to adequately govern our country in the future. Young people should be raised in the national spirit. Now, as you know quite well, we can say that the national identity of some countries and peoples seems to be facing the threat of extinction under the guise of globalization. Under the pretext of globalization, identification takes place, values that are alien to some peoples are inculcated, and we resist this. We must cultivate young people who are devoted to the Motherland, to the people, for whom independence is paramount. Therefore, the promotion of young professionals allows them the opportunity to gain experience. At the same time, older personnel give them advice and guide them along the right path.

I know that you are also actively engaged in scientific work and have authored large scientific research. I know that you want to do research work in the future. You have a lot of potential, and the books you authored deserve a lot of attention and a high assessment.

For your services to the people and state, I decorate you with the highest award of our state - the “Heydar Aliyev” Order. You know that in many cases this order is awarded to heads of foreign state and government, not everyone. This order is presented to true friends of our people, our state, heads of state and government who have played a special role in the development of bilateral ties, intellectuals, people of art. Therefore, the presentation of this order to you, of course, has a special meaning - you deserve it. First of all, because you devotedly served great leader Heydar Aliyev and the state for many years. This order, bearing the name of the great leader, is presented to you on full grounds. I am sure that in your future activities you will continue to make a valuable contribution to our common cause. Now let me present this order to you.

President Ilham Aliyev presented the “Heydar Aliyev” Order to Ramiz Mehdiyev.

Ramiz Mehdiyev said:

- Dear Mr. President.

Please let me express my special gratitude to you for presenting the highest award of our state, the “Heydar Aliyev” Order, to me. Heydar Aliyev is the only person of all prominent public and political figures in the history of Azerbaijan who have risen to the level of the national leader. To receive this highest order bearing his name is the dream of every civil servant, public and political figure. Once again, I express my gratitude to you for giving me the opportunity to live through this historic moment, and I wish you continued achievements and success in the development of Azerbaijan. This supreme award, which I consider to be the memory of the great leader, the founder and creator of the independent Azerbaijani state forever living in the hearts of our people, is the biggest award I have ever received. Once again, Mr. President, I express my deep appreciation to you for this.

As you know, Mr. President, I spent 54 years of my life in public service. Of these, I worked under the leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev for 29 years. And the last 16 years I have worked directly under your leadership. I witnessed the successful results of your political, economic, social and cultural course. As your colleague, I tried to fulfill your instructions without wasting time. Mr. President, I can say that your activities and your assessment as a unique political personality and outstanding state leader are determined by the work you have done. Our brave and generous people greatly appreciate this.

Over the past 16 years, Azerbaijan has modernized and entered a qualitatively new stage under your leadership. The political, economic and cultural life of the country has been renewed and dramatically changed. And this has increased the standard of living of the Azerbaijani people, solved most of its problems and united the state and people around a single platform.

Your pragmatism, flexible and reasonable state policy, systematic and consistent approach have played an important role in safeguarding the national interests of our country and its modern development.

The foresight and integrity you demonstrate in managing the state and protecting our national interests, the advanced management skills, the serious and humane approach you take in domestic policies are the highest qualities that characterize both your policies and your personality as a politician. Dear Mr. President, all the key and highest qualities we have seen in well-known heads of state that have left a deep mark on world history, we have seen in you for these 16 years. It so happened historically that you were destined to govern the independent Azerbaijani state founded by Heydar Aliyev and lead it into the future at the beginning of the third millennium.

It was your mission to modernize Azerbaijan, to rally our people around you taking into account the demands and challenges of the 21st century, and to bring our state to a new stage of development. No-one can deny, Mr. President, that you have adequately coped with this high and historic mission. Whereas the national leader has inscribed his name in history as the founder of the independent Azerbaijani state, you have gone down in history as the creator of a modern and developed Azerbaijani state.

As a great state organizer, you have skillfully mobilized the internal energy of the people to solve the problems facing our country. Today, thanks to your efforts, Azerbaijan has entered the ranks of developed countries.

As a result of your multifaceted and successful political activity, you have gained immense authority in the international arena. This is acknowledged by the heads of large states, leaders of foreign media press and authoritative international institutions. You are described as the reformist President.

Together with great leader Heydar Aliyev, you are considered the most outstanding political leader in the history of Azerbaijan over the past 100 years. The people of Azerbaijan are very proud that they live at the same time with such a political leader of our people.

You have created a new civilized tradition of civil service of the independent Azerbaijan. Today, the entire Azerbaijani society is talking about a procedure in which the President of the country respectfully and reverently bids farewell to high-ranking officials who have long served the statehood of Azerbaijan, responsibly and devotedly worked in public service. I am sure that this tradition will leave a good mark on the relations between the state and society in the future. Just as this tradition gives good mood to the people being appointed to senior roles, it creates a pleasant mood among those who have completed their mission and are about to retire. By creating this tradition, Mr. President, you have once again exalted yourself as a great person.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to you for all the kind words about me. I consider it my duty to assure you that it has always been an honor for me to work with Heydar Aliyev and personally with you as his successor. I have always been deeply aware of the responsibility of this service. I tried to ensure that all work in the areas I supervised is consistent with the current policy. The principle of statehood has been the cornerstone of my work in all periods. I believe that, regardless of the place of work, I felt a sense of responsibility, tried to be serious, demanding and modest every second. Of course, like any other official, I have a limit to my work, and you have already expressed your thoughts on what I have managed to achieve so far.

I want to assure you, Mr. President, that in my future life and work, I will always continue to do my best guided by the policies of the national leader and the policy pursued by you. The policy you pursue serves the development of the Azerbaijani state and the creation of a prosperous and safe life for our people. Therefore, I believe that every Azerbaijani who loves his homeland, irrespective of the position he may occupy, should support this course, be near you and serve our statehood. You are the glorious President of the Azerbaijani people and the state of Azerbaijan. We must do our best to serve and protect our state.

Thank you!

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you, Ramiz muallim. I also thank you for your kind words. Once again, I congratulate you on the award.

Ramiz Mehdiyev: Thank you very much, Mr. President!