Nakhchivan, 3 October (AZERTAC). The 9th summit of the Turkish-speaking countries` Heads of State has been held here at Duzdag Hotel.

The first summit was held in Ankara in 1992. In 1994 the event was hosted by Istanbul, in 1995 by Bishkek, in 1996 by Tashkent, in 1998 by Astana, in 2000 by Baku, in 2001 by Istanbul and in 2006 by Antalya.

Presidents Abdullah Gul of Turkey, Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan as well as vice-chairman of Turkmenistan`s Cabinet of Ministers Khydyr Saparliyev were welcomed by Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev in front of the Duzdag Hotel.

Prior to the start of the summit its participants posed for photographs.

President Ilham Aliyev made opening remarks.

The following are excerpts from the speech:

“Today`s summit is a very remarkable event. I believe it will produce beautiful results, we will have an effective work and decisions we’ll adopt will strengthen our unity.”

“We have all opportunities to do this. Our countries enjoy high-level relations on a bilateral format, and we also have a strong political dialogue. We cooperate within international organizations. Our countries support one another in the United Nations, Organization of the Islamic Conference, OSCE and other organizations.”

“We want very much that our economic relations develop at a more rapid pace. We have good opportunities for this. Our economies supplement one another. They are not in competition, and this is very important. New economic projects will, surely, bring us closer to one another.”

“We need to increase trade among our countries as we cannot be satisfied with the current level of our trade relations. We want to implement joint investment projects...”

“We have good prospects for humanitarian cooperation as well. However, we need to boost it as our cultures are closely tied up together. In this respect I would like to praise the work of TURKSOY. We need to boost TURKSOY`s activities in future. We propose setting up a TURKSOY fund that would deal with restoring historic monuments across all Turkic states and lands.”

“It is with great pleasure that we say that initiatives by our countries, large-scale projects underway yield fruits. Cooperation that we`ve built in the energy sector is a vivid evidence of our friendship, and, at the same time, is a successful result of regional cooperation. Azerbaijan and Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan - we all enjoy successful cooperation in the oil and gas sector.”

“Once a myth, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline has already been operational for three years, bringing benefit to the whole region. Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline is another triumph of us.”

“Today Azerbaijan exports its oil and gas resources to European and world markets through very important routes. Yesterday Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed very significant agreements, creating beautiful conditions for transportation of Kazakhstan`s oil and gas resources to the world markets through diversification via Azerbaijan. This is what we are all interested in. We all want our economies to be diversified, and it represents huge significance both for oil and gas producing countries, transit countries, and consumer countries.”

“We are also working on concrete projects in the field of transport – we are continuing our cooperation in the Caspian Sea, and, at the same time, construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is successfully underway. Its completion will open a new, very important route between Europe and Asia. We, in some way, are restoring the Silk Road. Of course, these projects require huge investments and big political will. And we have both investment opportunities and also political will. In short, these projects will bring us closer to one another and give our countries additional financial resources, creating wonderful opportunities for ensuring peace, stability and security in the region. And this is what we want to achieve.”

“Azerbaijan has been rapidly developing in all spheres of live despite the fact that our territorial integrity had been violated. Twenty percent of our lands is under occupation. As the result of the occupation and a policy of ethnic cleansing over than one million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homelands. Despite this problem, Azerbaijan`s economy has been successfully developed. Between 2004-2008 our economy saw a 2.6-fold increase. And this, surely, helps us in coping with economic and social tasks faced by the country.”

“Currently, we are conducting bilateral negotiations on settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. However, unfortunately, we`ve not yet achieved any result. The negotiation process has seen a positive dynamics, and, I can say, it has already entered its last stage.”

“Four resolutions of the UN Security Council still remain unfulfilled. These resolutions demand an unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s lands. Similar resolutions were adopted by other international organizations as well. But, unfortunately, Armenia still continues to refuse international norms.”

“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be settled only in accordance with the principle of Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity. This is Azerbaijan`s principal and unchangeable position, which is based on international principles… The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a great problem not only for Azerbaijan but also for the whole region, it is a big barrier to regional development.”

“Dear friends, recently Baku hosted a remarkable event which strengthened our unity even more – a first meeting of the Parliamentary assembly of Turkish-speaking countries. Our legislative authorities will be in a closer contact with one another… And we support this idea.”

“We want very much that the unity among Turkish-speaking countries be stronger. This is our history, our culture, our roots… We are all well aware that sometimes it is not easy to defend your own position on the international scale. If we stay together, demonstrate shared views on certain issues and systematically work to strengthen our unity, our international positions will be strengthened. After all, the Turkish-speaking countries possess all opportunities – natural resources, oil and gas fields, favorable geographical location, powerful economies, talented people and dynamic infrastructure. Putting all these opportunities together and concentrating on them will turn Turkish-speaking countries into a great power on the global scale.”

“I`m very pleased that over the last few years our unity has been strengthened. Our presence here in Nakhchivan, an ancient Azerbaijani land, our talks, the summit and documents we will sign at its end will cement our unity even more. This is our wish, and I believe we will achieve it.”

Other speakers at the event included Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and vice-chairman of Turkmen Cabinet of Ministers Khydyr Saparliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev made closing remarks at the summit.

He said: “Today we’ll sign two significant documents. We will set up a Cooperation Council of Turkish-speaking countries and adopt the Nakhchivan declaration. These documents will be a basis for our further activities.”

“Strategic importance, history, culture, historic monuments of Nakhchivan are our wealth, huge property. It should be noted that foundations for Azerbaijan`s independence were laid here in Nakhchivan. Heydar Aliyev`s work here - as early as in the Soviet era - was of crucial importance for the independence of Azerbaijan.”

The President said: “Nakhchivan is where Azerbaijan`s tricolor flag was raised for the first time following a long break. In following years Heydar Aliyev made a tremendous contribution to building independent Azerbaijan. And today Azerbaijan lives as an independent country, increasing its power and coping with all tasks it faces.”

“Today cooperation among our countries has beautiful prospects. Our fruitful work will bring us closer to one another, strengthen our position on the international scale and open up good opportunities for coping with all the tasks faced by our countries. Today we`ve discussed these issues both in the bilateral format and together. And we`ve made certain that we have big potential and strong political will.”

“Our summit is nearing its end. As regards the venue for our next gathering, my dear friend Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev proposed holding it in Kyrgyzstan in August next year. We appreciate this proposal and support it with satisfaction. It is very important that we hold summits regularly. I believe every meeting will contribute to opening new opportunities.“

Afterwards, the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey signed the Nakhchivan Agreement on establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkish-speaking countries.

The Heads of State then signed the Nakhchivan declaration.

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