- Your Holiness Sheikh,

Distinguished religious figures,

Dear ceremony participants!

First of all, I want to thank you for the kind words said about me. I am very happy that Azerbaijan is successfully and steadily developing today. Azerbaijan is treated with great respect and reverence throughout the world. The respect and sympathy for us are growing with each passing day, because the world knows that we are a reliable partner. The world knows that the processes taking place in Azerbaijan not only precondition the development of our country, but also have a very positive impact on the region.

It has become a wonderful tradition for us to gather for Iftar at the residency of His Holiness Sheikh on the holy month of Ramadan. About a year ago we met in this hall too. Days and months go by quickly. Over the past year Azerbaijan has become even stronger and has managed to further strengthen its international positions. I am confident that our strong and sustainable development will continue to be secured in the future too.

The founders of this great tradition are great leader Heydar Aliyev and His Holiness Sheikh. They laid the foundation for this great tradition. As you know, after the restoration of Azerbaijan's state independence, its early years were very difficult for our country and people. We were faced with great challenges and tragedies. There was civil war in Azerbaijan. After the return of the great leader to political power, a specific strategy was identified for our development in all areas. Economic and political reforms, army building, the implementation of social programs complemented by the construction and creation of the relations between religion and the state were also very a wise initiative launched by the great leader.

Naturally, before independence we did not have a state and, therefore, there were no relations between religion and the state. These relationships are built on a solid and healthy basis. Today, the relations between religion and the state have a special place in the successful development of our country. These relations are of exemplary nature in Azerbaijan. Of course, a great role in this has been played by the personal friendship between His Holiness Sheikh and the great leader, and today the tradition and continuity in this area and indeed all other areas are ongoing. And our friendship with His Holiness Sheikh is a feeling dictated by the heart. At the same time, it is an important factor for the steady development of our country. Today, the relations between religion and the state are developing successfully. I am sure that continuity in this direction will be provided in the future too.

Azerbaijan is committed to its national and religious values. Our religious values form an integral part of our national values. It is impossible to imagine national values without religious ones. For centuries we have been preserved and protected as a nation and as a people by our values. Great attention is being paid to this issue today. In the present-day globalizing world faced with enormous difficulties, our national values form the basis of our statehood.

Our state rests on a strong ideological foundation. The idea of Azerbaijanism is our main ideological backbone. Our state has strong political supports. The independent Azerbaijan is a country openly speaking its word on a global scale and conducting an independent policy. The domestic policy is complemented by foreign policy, and our political supports are quite strong.

Today, there is no other country in the world that would have achieved so much economic development as Azerbaijan over the last 10 years. This also serves to strengthen our independence. At the same time, the main condition for our successful development is the spiritual foundation – the spiritual foundation of our society. An economy may be strong, and history tells us that there have been developing countries which then plunged into a recession. But if there is no spiritual foundation, if there is no basis, such a country has no future.

Therefore, the education of our young generation in the spirit of patriotism, in the national spirit is the duty of every conscientious citizen and of the state. The government is fulfilling its task. A valuable, knowledgeable and educated younger generation is emerging in Azerbaijan. It is a generation that will run our country in the future. Today our young people are proud to say that they are citizens of Azerbaijan, because the successful development ongoing in our country today fills the heart of every patriot with a huge sense of pride. I am sure that national and spiritual values, the traditions and our religious values will continue to remain the main focus of our development.

A few words have been at this Iftar ceremony about inter-religious relations. Great attention is being aid to these relations in Azerbaijan. I can say that there are two important factors here – both the public policy and the status of our society. It is impossible to achieve the desired result by public policy alone. Therefore, a unique atmosphere, a unique situation has emerged in Azerbaijan. Representatives of all ethnicities and all religions live in Azerbaijan like one family. This has been the case for centuries. Our strength is in our unity.

We celebrate our religious holidays together. Today, we are gathered around this table. Representatives of all ethnicities and religions enjoy equal rights in Azerbaijani society.

This, of course, is enshrined in the Constitution. But it is also the case in real life. I can say that Azerbaijan stands out in the world in this respect. People coming to our country often wonder: how did you manage to achieve this? There are no stand-offs, not even minor misunderstandings on religious or ethnic grounds here. The reality is that the main role is played by public policy, the wisdom of religious leaders, as well as the presence of a positive atmosphere in society and, of course, the rapid and dynamic development of our country. This is our greatest asset.

Today, in the Internet age, we immediately learn about the developments unfolding in the world. Unfortunately, the news is not always positive. In different parts of the world – in Europe, in the Middle East and in our region – there is bloodshed, wars, civil wars, conflicts on religious grounds and for other reasons. Azerbaijan is an island of stability. In fact, Azerbaijan plays a stabilizing role in this region. So these positive developments in the country, these processes are having a major positive impact on the region as a whole. Today it is impossible to imagine regional policies without Azerbaijan because our steps and initiatives in the political, economic and other areas have largely defined the agenda of the region.

The significance of our decisions is substantially increasing. All our decisions are positive. Our main objective is to deepen regional cooperation and further improve the situation in the country and the well-being of the Azerbaijani people.

The main condition for strengthening domestic stability is the unity between the people and the government. And such unity is there. This unity is underpinned by government policy. I have repeatedly stated my thoughts about this and I want to say again that at the heart of our policies are citizens of Azerbaijan, their problems, security, care and prosperity. Therefore, the unity of the people and government is the main precondition for stability in Azerbaijan. When we see that stability is disrupted in other regions and other places of the world, when fraternal blood is shed, it certainly makes us sad, but at the same time it directs the world's attention to Azerbaijan’s experience.

Azerbaijan has never had and never will have stand-offs on ethnic or religious grounds. The guarantor of this is the state of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people. While analyzing the negative events occurring in various parts of the world, we have to conduct our policy even more confidently from now on. Azerbaijani citizens live and will continue to live in safety. Public and political order is fully provided in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is one of the safest countries in the world. These basic conditions allow us the opportunity to plan our future with great optimism.

Today, when inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue is in question, I think that the example of Azerbaijan is the first to come to mind. Inter-religious dialogue has long been provided in Azerbaijan. Today, Azerbaijan has a growing trend of interreligious and interethnic friendship and brotherhood. This is our advantage. It is no coincidence that international forums on multiculturalism and inter-religious dialogue are held in Azerbaijan. We are the initiators of these forums. I have no doubt that our homeland developing in this direction will have more solid positions in the future.

I have no doubt that our homeland developing in this direction will have more solid positions in the future. Today our positions in the international arena are already strong enough. We are a member of both the Council of Europe and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Next year Baku will host the first European Games and the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017. So this is a unique situation. Azerbaijan is not only a bridge between civilizations. We are giving an impetus to the strengthening of positive trends by our work and policies. But, as it has already been mentioned here, unfortunately, this is not the case everywhere. There is religious discrimination and confrontation between religions. This is a big disaster and a path leading to a precipice.

We are trying and should keep on making even more effort for global trends to go in a positive direction. I want to emphasize the role of His Holiness Sheikh in this. His Holiness Sheikh has made a great contribution to the development of inter-religious dialogue. He is held in high esteem in the world. He maintains close ties with colleagues and also makes major initiatives in society. This, of course, is a great asset for our country. I believe that in order to ensure the development of inter-religious relations in a healthy manner, Azerbaijan's experience should be studied, and I am sure it will be studied because it is really a unique experience.

I want to point out again that this Iftar ceremony is already a tradition. It is of utmost importance for us and for society. Society sees that although religion and the state are separate according to the Constitution, religion and state are close by because we have one idea – to build and create an even more powerful Azerbaijan.

Our idea is to develop the country and the main goal is to restore its territorial integrity. To achieve this, we must become even stronger because unfortunately, which is not a secret any longer, it is not international law but force that counts in the world. We must become even stronger. We are becoming stronger. This requires time. But if you look at the road we have covered in a short time, we can say with full confidence that we will multiply our strength and thanks to this strength and our policies we will achieve this goal.

The citizens of Azerbaijan, our compatriots suffering from the occupation today will return to their ancestral lands, they must and they will live there. All of us, the citizens of Azerbaijan, are working and must continue to work hard to bring this sacred day closer.

A few days ago I met with the ambassadors of Muslim countries. They, as well as the ambassadors of other countries, are among us today. I believe that today Azerbaijan is known as a reliable partner and a friend both in the Muslim world and in Europe.

We have earned this prestigious title with hard work and with our policies.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Muslims all over the world on the upcoming Ramadan holiday. I want to assure the people of Azerbaijan again that I will continue to do my best for the development of our country, for the security of our people and for our strategic objectives. I promise to the people of Azerbaijan again that I will continue to faithfully serve my people. Thank you.