TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE MEETING DEDICATED TO THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION OF THE RUSSIAN COMMUNITY OF AZERBAIJAN
AzerTAg.az
Dear compatriots,
I congratulate most cordially you, all members of the public organization of the Russian Community of Azerbaijan on the 10th anniversary of foundation of the organization and convey my best wishes.
History of settlement and residence of Russians in Azerbaijan embraces the period of over 160 years. During this period of time, they have not underwent national or religious discrimination, in contrary, having preserved their ethnic habits and traditions, national originality, language and culture, have always taken an immediate part in economic life of Azerbaijan.
Hundreds of thousands of representatives of Russian nationality, who tied their fates with Azerbaijan for different historical and political reasons, consider evenly this land to be their motherland. It is not accidental, policy of deportation carried out between 1988 and 1989 in Armenia against Azerbaijanis, influenced Russians living in that country as well, thousands of Russians chose Azerbaijan as the place of permanent residence.
After gaining state independence, democratic legal principles have been established in the Republic of Azerbaijan, all our citizens, independently on language, religion, race and ethnic are provided with political and legal conditions for enjoying freely human rights and freedoms. Representatives of Russian population, as well as other national minorities of the republic enjoy fully these rights and freedoms.
In difference with a number of other CIS countries, no limits were introduced in Azerbaijan to usage of Russian language and education in Russian, educational establishments working before, still go on their activities. Tens of Russian secondary schools, Russian departments in higher educational establishments, Baku Slavic University are working today in the country.
Russian population of Azerbaijan, taking an active part in the process of establishment of a democratic, legal state in the country, are widely represented in executive and legislative bodies, law enforcement system of the state, science and cultural, social and economic and production fields.
I would like to underline with a sense of gratitude that our citizens of Russian nationality showed the examples of real patriotism in the name of liberation of our lands from Armenian occupation. Our worthy sons, such as National Heroes Yury Kovalev, Yevgeny Karlov, Viktor Seregin, and Sergey Sinushkin gave their lives for territorial integrity of Azerbaijan; many were awarded with military orders of our republic.
Dear compatriots,
Public Union of Russian Community of Azerbaijan being one of the most mass organizations of the republic, unites over 80 thousand of members. During ten years from the day of foundation, this organization was prominent for public activity for the further strengthening of our state independence, in foundation of a free civil society, carried out work deserving approval in informing public of Russia and other countries about true realities of Azerbaijan, objective information about military aggression and invasion policy of Armenia.
I am sure that your organization will take all efforts for the further closeness and development of public and political ties, good neighboring and friendly relations between the nations and states of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Russia.
I wish each of you a good health, happiness, and success in you noble and good way.
Heydar Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Text contains orthographic mistake
