INTERVIEW OF PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV TO FRENCH MONTHLY MAGAZINE “ARABI”
Q: Having been elected as President you chose France for your first official visit. Was this a strategic choice?
A: France and Azerbaijan have always maintained good relations, carrying out close political and economic cooperation. President Heydar Aliyev and President Jacques Chirac were good friends. In 1993, Heydar Aliyev also paid his first official visit to France. We pay particular attention to our bilateral relations. We are very hopeful that France will play more active role in settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I received the invitation from President Jacques Chirac with great pleasure. So, there were number of reasons for dong so.
Q: Does your rapprochement with Europe mean independence on USA?
A: Over the last decade, our diplomacy has been to establish good links with our neighbors, large countries and our friends. From this standpoint, we have reached the goals. Today, indeed, we have solid relations with all neighbors but Armenia - Russia, Turkey, Georgia and Iran. We have managed to establish very good relations with the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union. We don’t want to create contradictions by preferring one to another. Pursuing such policy, we striving for our people to have benefit from the international cooperation.
Q: In 2003, commodity turnover between France and Azerbaijan trebled. What are hopes you cherish for political and economic cooperation with France?
A: I believe our economic relations will be fostered. Azerbaijan’s economy is strengthening from year to year. The stronger state the closer its international links. I am sure our economic relations will treble in three years: Azerbaijan ahs potential and will to become a part of Europe three years later.
Q: What about opportunities for the French oil companies isolated from Iraq because of the known developments, to operate in Azerbaijan
A: We have very good relations with French companies, Total in particular, which invested in a number of projects in oil sector including that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan. We will consider new possibilities to intensify “TOTAL” and other French companies’ activities in Azerbaijan. We have created favorable investment environment in the country.
Q: What do you think of other countries wanting to operate in Azerbaijan?
A: Our economic policy is based on the market relations. We are carrying out agrarian reform, privatization etc. Today, 70% of GDP is share of private sector. The market itself is what defines business partners. We are for cooperation with many countries.
Q: You represent a new generation of international leaders. You are the son of the person who had rich experience, and held high office in politburo under Brezhnev. What kind of feelings it arouses in you?
A: A great responsibility. I cannot but justify the people’s hopes. I must take every effort to continue President Heydar Aliyev’s policy energetically, to defense our independence. I have been elected as President; at the same time, I am a son of the man who plaid exceptional role in the history of Azerbaijan, who was a great son of the country. This is a great responsibility; simultaneously it helps me not to make mistakes. President whose decision is what everything depends on must not make a mistake.
Q: How do you see democratization and modernization of Azerbaijan?
A: This is our main goal. We are people who had chosen the path of integration into the world and Europe, we want to build civilized and modern society. After joining the Council of Europe we have adopted a lot of documents allowing our legislation to reach European standards. We indeed have to do much more. For 70 years, we had been under communist regime. It had an effect on our mentality. We need some time to overcome this situation. Every citizen will be feeling itself in Azerbaijan as well as in Europe.
Q: What can you tell about Azerbaijan’s place in Islamic world with its cataclysms?
A: Responding to your question, I want to mention that in Azerbaijan, religion is separated from state. We treat with great respect and honor to our religion. At the same time, we are modern and civilized country. We don’t have any problem in this relation. Some Moslem countries have accepted Islam as an ideology, but our country has no concern with it. We, however, maintain very good relations with these countries. Azerbaijan is a free country providing freedom of speech and religion.
Q: What do think of the situation in neighboring Iran?
A: We do not interfere in internal affairs of each other. We have extensive common border. On the other hand, a large number of Azerbaijanis live in Iran. We, indeed, stand for stability in the country. Our economic relations are expanding. The main goal of our policy is to establish good relations with all countries.
Non-intervention in internal affairs is the best basis for cooperation.
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