Y.Geyyal Yildiz’s article about Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was published on August 5 in one of the most influential Turkish press organs, the newspaper of Akhsham. AzerTAj offers this article to its readers.

ILHAM ALIYEV’S EPOCH IN AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijan, a strategic country of Turkish World, embracing the territory between the Balkans to Eastern Turkestan, is, at the same time, a key factor of peace in Caucasus. In addition, taking into consideration the competition for energy resources basins, this geo-strategic situation of Azerbaijan becomes both the source of power and weakness.

Azerbaijan is able to carry the pressure of geo-strategic situation only due to its leaders, who has got firm support of the society. Any weakness shown by leaders may turn the process back and to through the country into chaos.

One should remember about recent implementation of plans that were supposed to bring chaos to Azerbaijan. These plans, including civil war, were prevented due to Heydar Aliyev’s experience of statehood. Today, Azerbaijan is living its “fragile” period again. Some forces are seeking for an opportunity to violate stability in the country. They should not get this opportunity. However, it is not acceptable to sacrifice domestic dynamics of Azerbaijan for useless and short-term goals. So, opposition shares the responsibility side by side with the authorities.

New Epoch Starts

In majority of cases, ideal is confused with real. Due to ideologically emotional approaches, ideal is taken for real. It is difficult to find a way of solution, if real situation is not analyzed correctly. It is not far from self-repetition.

I see such situation in Azerbaijan. I read articles of authors, representing opposition. Majority of these authors do not only criticize, but also insult Heydar Aliyev. Anyway, we will not speak on their low level.

The matter is that their critics are absolutely groundless. Banal thoughts are at the first foreground. There are no ways of resolution of the issue. There is only one thing - accusations. It is clear that such attitude does not add power to opposition, but it does not promise anything good to Azerbaijan as well. The country turns to be defenseless in front of foreign aggression and manipulations.

Some authors appraise Ilham Aliyev’s appointment as Prime Minister as a “coup”, others - as the continuation of khanate. This appraisal is subjective by neglecting Milli Majlis (Parliament). We understand that there will be a vacuum at political arena after Heydar Aliyev. Who is going to fill it? There is no alternative to Ilham Aliyev. Signs from USA support Ilham Aliyev. In the name of preservation stability in Azerbaijan, USA as well as Turkey is for continuation of the way with a known man.

Steps taken by Heydar Aliyev today - is the period of structuring. At this stage, Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev is carrying a complicated task.

Future Links to Ilham Aliyev

The upcoming Presidential Elections of October 15 are very important in a few aspects from political point of view. States, seeking for influence in Caucasus, are following the elections; some of them are not simply following, but trying to forecast their results, in particular, USA, Russia and Iran. Some countries secretly support some definite nominees. Armenia and Georgia, not having such influence, are interested in the elections as well.

If Ilham Aliyev is elected as a President, who is well acquainted with Turkey and has experience in the field of big energy projects, becomes a very positive fact both for Turkey and for the whole Turkish World.

We wish that Ilham Aliyev preferred not “balancing” policy, driving Azerbaijan into limited frames, but policy able to turn the country into a prestigious power in the 21st century.