Baku, April 13 (AZERTAC). On 13 April, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev chaired a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development in the first quarter of 2014 and objectives for the future.

Addressing the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s dynamic development was continued and economy grew by 2.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. The non-oil sector grew by 10 per cent in 2013 and by a further 8.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

The President of Azerbaijan noted that economic diversification was the country’s top priority. The rapid growth observed in the non-oil sector in recent years was evidence of the fact that this goal had been achieved.

The head of state indicated that the solution of social problems was in the spotlight, saying that bank deposits of the population had increased by more than 20 per cent and incomes by 4.5 per cent, while inflation was only at 2 per cent. Noting that the average salary increased by 7 per cent in the first quarter, President Ilham Aliyev said the average salary in Azerbaijan had reached $550.

President Ilham Aliyev went on to say that important steps had been taken to create a modern social infrastructure in Azerbaijan. He said more than 2,000 schools and over 500 hospitals had been built and that this process would be continued.

The head of state said Azerbaijan’s exchange reserves had increased to $53 billion in the last three months. Azerbaijan is currently among global leaders for the volume of exchange reserves per capita. The country’s foreign debt accounts for only 8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

President Ilham Aliyev also stated that further measures had been taken to develop entrepreneurship in the first quarter. A highly important order was signed to improve the business environment. The execution of this order will pave the way for additional measures to improve the business landscape and create favorable conditions for local and foreign investors.

There are excellent opportunities for doing business on a global level in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is rated very highly by international financial institutions, while the world’s leading rating agencies maintain Azerbaijan’s credit rating at a high level.

Azerbaijan further reinforced its international standing. Azerbaijan is recognized as a very reliable partner in the international arena. Our foreign policy is open and principled and is based on international law and justice.

Azerbaijan displays a principled stance on every issue. This position is primarily based on the norms and principles of international law. The norms and principles of international law should be the key condition because the present-day international world should be governed by these principles. If these are disrupted, then the entire mechanism of international cooperation and relations is undermined.

Indicating that during his visits to foreign countries and participation in various international events this year he had personally witnessed the importance being attached to Azerbaijan in the world, President Ilham Aliyev pointed to the effective nature of the meetings held in a bilateral format.

The Turkish Prime Minister has visited Azerbaijan. This was the first visit of the Prime Minister after the municipal election. The sides reaffirmed the relations of friendship, brotherhood and strategic cooperation during the visit.

Speaking about his official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Ilham Aliyev said the visit was a great success. The documents signed, the talks and the exchanges held will elevate our relations to an even higher level. In a spirit of friendship and sincere cooperation during the visit, we clarified a number of issues. We expressed a shared view that Iranian-Azerbaijani relations should continue to be on an upward trend.

Touching upon Azerbaijan’s relations with regional countries, President Ilham Aliyev described the relations with neighboring countries, except for Armenia, as positive, close and friendly. “As independent countries, we are building our bilateral relations on the principles of friendship, cooperation and non-interference in each other’s affairs. I am sure that the development of these relations in the future will benefit all countries.”

The head of state said further that Azerbaijan had initiated two trilateral formats in the region. These are Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey and Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey. President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan was actively involved in both of these formats.

Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the head of state said there was no progress in this direction. The optimistic views expressed by mediators at the end of last year are not coming true. Armenia is simply biding time. It wants neither war nor peace, and unfortunately international mediators are not putting serious pressure on it.

The President of Azerbaijan said that international sanctions should have been introduced against Armenia long ago because Armenia has been occupying Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory for 20 years now. An act of genocide, the Khojaly genocide has been perpetrated against civilian population. A policy of ethnic cleansing has been unleashed against our people.

Four UN Security Council resolutions are flouted. No heed is being paid to the resolutions of other international organizations - the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the OSCE, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, etc. They are ignored. There have never been so many injustices and violations of law in any other similar situation. A legitimate question may be asked: why? How much longer are we going to be faced with double standards?

Why aren’t the leaders of the fictitious “Nagorno-Karabakh republic” subjected to sanctions? Why aren’t sanctions applied to them? This is an injustice, these are double standards!

We are speaking up against double standards in international relations. We urge the western countries cooperating with us not to allow the leaders of the self-styled “Nagorno-Karabakh republic” into their territories. They should be subjected to sanctions.

They go there, conduct illegal TV marathons and raise money. And then this money is used against Azerbaijan. Their so-called leaders are received in leading countries of the West. They get visas, establish so-called representative offices, travel back and forth, etc. Why?

The time has come for talking openly. Azerbaijan is tired of double standards. Such injustice is intolerable.

Why hasn’t the aggressor been condemned to this day?! Why doesn’t the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe discuss the issue of suspending the credentials of the Armenian delegation?! Azerbaijan has raised this issue a number of times.

They tell us to come to an agreement, to negotiate and to resolve it in peace. We have been a victim of ethnic cleansing and an act of genocide. After the Azerbaijanis were driven out of Nagorno-Karabakh, a so-called referendum was held there. It is considered acceptable. This is intolerable.

A hypocrite attitude and double standards against Azerbaijan are continuing. We will never put up with that.

President Ilham Aliyev also issued instructions related to continuing the implementation of social infrastructure projects, channeling foreign investment in priority sectors of the national economy, increasing support for entrepreneurship development and ensuring food security.

The head of state said that work in the oil and gas sector was carried out at a high level and the implementation of the TANAP project was launched at the end of last year. The President added that the bidding process had already been started and expressed his hope that construction would commence in the near future.

Noting that preparations for the inaugural European Olympic Games would enter into the crucial stage in 2014, President Ilham Aliyev said the entire work was progressing on schedule. The President of the European Olympic Committee and the Coordinating Committee for the Games have spoken quite highly about the progress of preparations for the Games. “We will conduct the Games at an exemplary level for future Olympic Games. Azerbaijan will reassert itself in the world as a modern, dynamic and powerful state.”