Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear guests,

Esteemed congress delegates,

I cordially greet all of you, and say “welcome” to all the guests.

Holding of the 11th Friendship, Brotherhood and Cooperation Congress of Turkic States and Communities in Azerbaijan is a remarkable event for the whole Turkic world.

Previous congresses were held in Turkey. I remember together we participated in the congress in Antalya last year. We made very important decisions and held extremely interesting discussions.

I am very pleased that our suggestion to hold the next congress in Azerbaijan was accepted, and that today we are holding this fascinating congress in Baku. This once again demonstrates that the whole Turkic world is moving towards unification. We need it very much. Our existence as independent country and the formation of five Turkic republics after the collapse of the Soviet Union stimulate us to reach closer consolidation. We are actively doing this. Over the short period of time, Turkey and Azerbaijan hosted very remarkable events strengthening our unity. As I have already mentioned, last year Antalya hosted the congress and then the summit meeting of the heads of state of Turkic speaking countries. The first forum of heads of the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations was held in Baku this March. Today we are having the fascinating congress. Next year Baku will host the next summit meeting of the heads of state of Turkic speaking countries. Holding of all these meetings, congresses and events has one goal - to make the Turkic world more organized, and to strengthen mutual ties and our positions in the world. This is what we all are interested in. The stronger our unity is, the more successful every country will be in defending its own interests. Current globalization processes going in the world have their effect on our countries. At the same time, we are committed to our national traditions, and we are building our states on the basis of our national values. It is our history, culture, mother tongue, folk music and literature that preserved us as a nation, and preserved our national heritage when we were not independent. There are wonderful possibilities for strengthening unity and mutual ties. On this wonderful day, I remember unforgettable words by the two genius personalities of the Turkic world. Great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said, “Azerbaijan’s sorrow is our sorrow, Azerbaijan’s joy is our joy”. National leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev said, “Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation, two states”. These quotes are the basic principles of our relationships. Today, Turkey-Azerbaijan relations are built on them, and I am sure that our cooperation will have a positive impact on the whole Turkic world. There is a great meaning and great love in these two quotes. It unites us, and I am glad that visitors from the whole Turkic world are participating in this congress today.

It is a very remarkable day in the history of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s national flag was formally adopted 17 years ago, November 17, 1990. Azerbaijan was not an independent state then. We were a part of the Soviet Union. The Azerbaijan Communist Party was in power in Baku. Nevertheless, at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev, then chairman of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, integral part of Azerbaijan and its historical land, the three-colored flag of the Azerbaijan People’s Republic was raised in the Supreme Majlis building. I am confident that this historical event was a step closer to the independence of Azerbaijan. I want to reiterate that Azerbaijan was not independent then. We have passed different paths to independence. Azerbaijani people’s struggle for independence, uniting of the society, and, of course, raising of the three-color flag were very important steps in this direction.

We have gathered on this wonderful day. It is quite symbolic. All Turkic states have strengthened since their independence. While there were quite a few both economic and political problems, today, after 16 years, we left hardships behind and got out of all crises with honor. Both economic growth and political stability, and strengthening of our international positions pushed our countries forward. In terms of history, 16 years is not a long time. However, our peoples proved that we can live as independent people. Independence is the greatest wealth of the people of Azerbaijan. The people of Azerbaijan have longed for the independence for centuries. We lived within other countries without being independent. Today, Azerbaijan is an independent nation. Our independence is measured not only by the official trappings but also our politics. Azerbaijan is capable of pursuing the independent policy. How? Of course, due to the ongoing economic, political reforms, huge rebuilding work, and, at the same time, Turkic states’ supporting one another.

I want to stress the role of the Turkish Republic in formation of our independent states. Turkey was the first state to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence. We have always felt support and help from Turkey, and we feel it today, and this gives us additional strength. Being independent we have just entered into the world community. But we had  a powerful state and fraternal country such Turkey with us, and this, of course, helped Azerbaijan very much.

And today, due to cooperation, our strength, Azerbaijan`s growing strength increases Turkey`s power. The volume of mutual investments is increasing yearly. Today, Azerbaijan is making investments in Turkey, and they are worth billions of dollars. Azerbaijan`s growing economy strengthens Turkey. A very important step towards this was recent holding of a Turkey-Azerbaijan business forum, which discussed all economic issues and drew further plans. Yearly growing economic potential of our countries, of course, will unite the whole Turkic world.

We need to strengthen each other by promoting mutual trade. Today, our countries have sufficient resources - both natural resources and developed industry, and modern free market economy. We must unite our resources to turn them into huge power. Young independent Turkic states have huge amounts of natural resources. Oil and gas production in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan is on the same level as in the world`s largest oil producing countries. At the same time, current oil and gas reserves can have huge impact on the world energy market. We are using them efficiently to develop our countries. At the same time, we use infrastructure and transit opportunities of Turkey to deliver our resources to the world markets. This strengthens us, opens up additional financial opportunities, creates wonderful conditions to pursue an independent policy, and unites the whole Turkic world.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines are the world-scale projects. These projects drastically changed the geopolitical and economic situation in the region in our favor. Our nations are getting huge benefits from these projects as they are being materialized. Effectively using oil and gas fields lying in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea, we are delivering our resources to the world markets via Turkey`s territory. Opening of new economic and energy corridors strengthens our independence. Energy independence today means the independence of countries. We are absolutely independent country in terms of energy. But we have no access to the world markets. And it is fraternal Turkey that gives as such an access, and the whole Turkic world can use this.

I am sure that cooperation in this field should further deepen and involve new countries. Turkey and Azerbaijan have been effectively working in this field for a long time. With the will of our leaders and support from our people we realized the projects which once were considered mythical. Now it has already become possible. These are new paths and they are paths to the future, they are paths to the strengthening of independence. I believe that the whole Turkic world will benefit from these opportunities. Of course, it is our history - our nations have lived together for centuries, our traditions, culture, language, root and ethnic belonging that unite us. This is a huge basis for further development. However, we know that there are other countries that are also ethnically close with each other, they also have the same ethnic belonging, and they also have lived together for centuries. But it does not mean that today their interests or political views coincide, and that their friendship is at a high level. It means that we have a huge privilege, and a huge basis. Relations established on this basis depend on nations` being tied with each other, on politicians` being close to each other and on interests` coinciding. Friendly and fraternal relations between us - between Turkey and Azerbaijan - exist in all spheres. Our nations are united, their leaders are friends and brothers, and the non-governmental sector - members of parliaments, all scientists and intelligentsia are closely tied up with each other. These factors strengthen our unity. I regard this congress from this perspective. This congress will adopt very important decisions. I am sure that discussions to be held here will be of great significance in all fields in terms of our cooperation, and from practical and scientific points of view. This congress is also a very important step towards uniting of the whole Turkic world. I am sure that results of the congress will further strengthen our unity. We are now in such a stage when we must use all opportunities to strengthen our positions even more. Our compatriots living abroad play huge role in this. It is not accidental that in March of the current year the first forum of leaders of Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations was held in Baku. The forum played very important role in uniting the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations. We already see its results. The Turkish and Azerbaijani diaspora organizations are now working together almost in all countries. They are working together to prevent actions that concern us and are against our countries. They are using each other’s opportunities. In some cases, they can form a well-grounded stance against unfair campaigns against our countries. We did not have these opportunities before. Azerbaijan was a young independent country. During first years of our independence we didn’t have such big opportunities. But today we pay huge attention to this sphere. Turkish diaspora organizations have great history across the world. Azerbaijan`s diaspora organizations are young. But by coming together they achieve their aims, they defend our countries and defend national interests of our countries. Our states are strengthening them with our support. Their activity within all structures is our strength. They must be represented both economically, and politically - in the parliaments of the countries which they live in. Their opportunities to impact must be increased. These opportunities will serve national interests of our countries. Probably, we - Turkey and Azerbaijan - are the only countries in the world, which have been facing an Armenian lobby, which is well-organized and has huge financial opportunities, and Armenians have campaigning against us. Other countries do not have such problems. But there are groundless accusations, claims and hostility against us, and we cannot remain indifferent to this. We must be ready for this. Our truth is what we must put against groundless accusations of Armenia, the Armenian lobby and hypocritical politicians of some developed countries who support them. Because truth and justice is on our side. The Armenian lobby and Armenia have always tried to accuse Turkey of events of 1915. They want all the world countries` parliaments to recognize an imaginary “genocide”. This is a huge Armenian lie, a big Armenian sabotage. The Armenians have always pursued a policy of genocide against Turks and Azerbaijanis. They have been doing it throughout history, and the Khojaly genocide is a distinct example of this. If killing of innocent people, children and old women is not a genocide, then what is it? But unfortunately, the world community either does not see or does not want to see it, and makes decisions based on imaginary “facts” of the Armenians, the Armenian lobbies and the world Armenians.

We must put against this our policies, our truths, our propaganda and our strength. Of course, to bring the truth and to propagandize and spread it to the whole world is our aim, it is the aim of states, diaspora organizations and each patriotic man. We are doing this now, and due to active efforts of the Turkish state and its people US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations stopped discussions on the adopted unfair resolution. It became possible thanks to Turkey`s power. But of course, existence of various factors is very important in this issue. These are the propaganda, our words which are based on truth and at the same time our strength. And our strength is our unity. The stronger we are, the more dominant our truth will be and the more respected our opinion will be. I want to return to this issue once again as our unity is the main condition for the future of our countries, and it is our strength. Unfortunately, an aggression policy pursued against Azerbaijan for long years is not properly condemned by the world community. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was violated. More than one million of our compatriots became refugees and IDPs as the result of Armenians` conducting a policy of ethnic cleaning against Azerbaijanis. The occupied territories of Azerbaijan were completely destroyed. Our mosques, graves, all buildings were demolished. Nobody reacts to this, nobody punishes Armenia for this. We don’t have any other choice. What must we do? It is already 13 years that we have been holding peace talks to restore our territorial integrity. But we see that it does not help, and we are forced to undertake other measures. Once again, I want to return to our main theme - again unity, again our power. Whatever we do, we must rely upon our strength, and we must restore our right. I am sure that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. All occupied territories of Azerbaijan will be liberated and our compatriots will return there, and that day is not far away.

Dear friends!

Once again, I cordially welcome you on such a wonderful day. I sincerely welcome all the guests who arrived in Azerbaijan, welcome. You brought a lot of joy to Azerbaijan with your coming. The whole Turkic world is today in Azerbaijan, the whole Turkic world is united today. I wish the Turkic world would always be united, and I wish that our strength and opportunities would be increased, and that the Turkic world would live in prosperity, and that all the Turkic states would blossom and develop.

Thank you.