Dear brothers and sisters!

I am cordially greeting you all. Today is a wonderful day. Today we’ve opened the monument to the great leader Heydar Aliyev, and the Museum of Heydar Aliyev. It’s great, remarkable event. The photos displayed in the Museum testify again that the great leader Heydar Aliyev had always paid a great attention to development of Salyan province. Salyan was the fist place he visited after having been elected the head of Azerbaijan in 1969. In the following years he used arrive here more than once to deal with local problems and make necessary decisions right here, and thus, had made a great contribution to development of Salyan province. Salyan was also the first province he traveled during his pre-election campaign in 1998. I’d like to say that remaining devoted to this wonderful tradition, I also began my pre-election campaign in 2003 with visiting Salyan. Today, I am here again, together with you.

Here, today, I have got acquainted with the course of construction of the new Olympic Complex, and laid the foundation stone of the new, modern power substation to be built here in Salyan. Realization of these two projects here shows how much attention is paid to social and economic development of the province. The Olympic Complex will meet the highest standards; there will be a modern hotel and other sport grounds for both sportsmen and young people to take advantage of that. The substation, in its turn, will fully satisfy the needs of Salyan province for electricity. The substation will be put into operation in 2007. Construction of these two objects, in general, reflects a policy pursued in Azerbaijan. Implementation of infrastructure projects and improvement of electricity and gas supply on one hand, and solving problems, which concern the people on the other hand, are currently our most priority issues.

I’d like to say that major repair of the Salyan Central Hospital is also planned. Today, I am going to familiarize myself with ongoing works in there to give relevant instructions for the hospital to be very well repaired in a short period of time, and supplied with modern equipment. In a word, much work is being and will be done for all-round development of Salyan province.

You are probably aware that huge funds have recently been allocated for development of the region, and improvement works. These funds should be spent efficiently - to lay roads, improve electricity supply, build new schools, social objects, and, of course, create new jobs because, as you know, it is creation of new jobs that constitutes the main part of the State program of socio-economic development of regions.

I can say 435.000 new jobs have been created in Azerbaijan over two years and a half that, on the one hand solves the problem of unemployment, and on the other hand, promote development of local production. Our aim is all-round development of Azerbaijan. Our main task is to create a powerful industrial and economic potential. Successful development of Azerbaijan in the last years is now recognized by the whole world. Our country has become the world’s leader in economic growth rate. Over the 6 months of this year, its economy has grown by 36% including 41% rise in industrial production. This year was marked by opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which is the creation of the great leader Heydar Aliyev, and Azerbaijan already gets oil revenues. It will allow us to solve all the problems the country facing in a short period of time. This is what I’m really aiming at. Powerful economy, strong social policy, al-round development of the country, opening of new jobs, reduction and elimination of poverty and creation of new industrial enterprises - all this is reality.

The progress Azerbaijan has achieved allows asserting that the course the country once chose is the right one. It is the course of Heydar Aliyev, policy of Heydar Aliyev. Today, the policy of Heydar Aliyev is alive in Azerbaijan, continued and being enriched by new forms.

Our wish is that the people live better, the existing problems be eliminated and the principles of social justice be fully ensured. You know it was them that constituted the priorities of the Heydar Aliyev’s policy.

We all should treat people with great care; all of us from the President to his representatives in the provinces should serve these goals. All-round development of Azerbaijan will, on the one hand, make our country stronger, and, on the other hand, allow creating new workplaces, and better people’s living standards.

Hundreds of schools have been built in Azerbaijan over the past years, including in Salyan province. However, there are still many problems in this sphere - majority of the schools need major repair.

We have it done as our economic possibilities grow. As you can see, our budget increases every year. Implementation of investment projects, construction of buildings, bridges and roads is underway. It will allow us to turn our country into a rich and powerful state, and provide better life to people. Our revenues are first of all spent on improvement of living standards of the neediest people.

Schools, hospital, modern houses for refugees and IDPs who live in the most severe conditions are being constructed. It will ensure progress in Azerbaijan because development of regions gives powerful impetus the work being done in provinces, as well as overall, strengthens our country.

Today, large-scale oil and gas projects are being realized in Azerbaijan. These projects are, of course, very important to us as they define the long-term strategy of our country’s development, and increase its economic power. At the same time, development of non-oil sector, local production and agriculture should also be in the focus of attention. Some work has already been done in this direction, as well.

As you know, the Joint Stock Company Agroleasing was founded in order to promote development of agriculture. The company purchases state-of-the-art agricultural equipment to lease to farmers. The state budget includes $100.000.000 set aside to grant loans to the farmers. This sum will increase next year with growing budget. These loans should be used very effectively for development of entrepreneurship. The government, in its turn, is taking necessary measures. First of all, infrastructure projects are being realized because no enterprise can operate without electricity. Construction of highways and country roads, water supply, gas supply, social sphere and economic development, news jobs, new factories - all this is what we are working on. I can say that progress in seen in all fields. Some of them is developing rapidly, others a little slower. But development is and should be in progress everywhere as half of the Azerbaijan’s population live in provinces, in villages. Of course, development of provinces and villages will also contribute to Azerbaijan’s turning into a very rich state.

Our positions are getting stronger. The growing economy allows us to pursue an independent foreign policy, and fuller defend national interests of the Azerbaijani people. Azerbaijan is becoming a country, which is capable, to some extent, to influence the processes taking place in the region. Today, much depends on out stance because we are strengthening out leading positions in the region. Doing so, of course, requires powerful economy, unity between the government and the people, and all-round development of Azerbaijan. As the President, I am doing my job just in this direction. I want to mention once again that on the eve of the 2003 presidential elections I had my first meeting in Salyan and got the first support from its residents. I am feeling this support today too, and it gives me strength.

All that I promised three years ago have been realized. I promised that 600.000 jobs would be opened in Azerbaijan in the next 5 years - 435 of them are already open. We gave the word that roads would be constructed, people would live better, pensions and salaries would rise - this work in underway, and will be done more intensively.

Azerbaijan’s positions in the region, in the world are getting firmer. On the one hand, it has a positive impact on the processes taking place in our country, on the other hand, is a matter of pride to us because Azerbaijan is, indeed, making great steps forward. Azerbaijan has become a very authoritative member of the global community. Its position is getting stronger and, of course, we want very mush our country to be able to solve all the problems it is facing in a short period of time.

We have deliberate program, conception, and I am convinced that all the problems will be solved in the years to come. Our people’s living standards can not be satisfactory to us because salaries and pensions are not yet as we would like them to be. But the work in this direction is underway. Both salaries and pensions will be growing every year; we’ll ensure that nobody living in poverty remains in Azerbaijan.

To do so, we all should work hard moving towards the common goal. Of course, feeling this support from people, I become more active, and encourage reforms with more confidence. It gives me pleasure to see a result, success; I am glad that socio-political situation in Azerbaijan is quite positive.

We live in this region, and are watching the processes taking place here. Sometime, we can see the tension rise in the region: wars, conflicts, collisions, internal dissension and crisis happen.

There is no anything like this in Azerbaijan. We have socio-political stability in our country. Public order is safeguarded effectively in Azerbaijan. People live peacefully, and take a walk by night without fear. The unity between the authorities and people allows developing the country rapidly. Domestic processes are also positive. In a word, stability has been fully established in Azerbaijan. No development where there is no stability. This is confirmed by other countries’ experiences. Another evidence of this is the terrible events Azerbaijan experienced in early 1990s. Development is out of the question without stability. The counties in which no development processes are taking place, as well as their people face great difficulties. Azerbaijan’s future is very bright. We are in the beginning of the way. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is not yen operating at its full capacity. In 2008, Azerbaijan will produce 60 mln tons of oil that will turn it into a very rich state. Every citizen should be provided with normal job. He should have normal living conditions. Our country should further develop. This is my aim, my idea; I rest on you, and these ideas are what I came to Salyan to meet with you in my mind with.

I’ll keep paying attention to development of Salyan province. Together, we will do carry out a huge work for Salyan, as always, to be one of the most developed provinces of Azerbaijan.

I am cordially greeting you once again, and wish you good health and happiness. Thank you.

Afterwards, President Ilham Aliyev had a warm conversation with local residents.