We cordially congratulate You on bright victory which You reached, garnering at the 15 October democratic and transparent, free and fair elections overwhelming majority of votes of people, and taking responsible and honorable position for the happy future of Azerbaijan. Expressing our support and love at the Presidential elections, being an extremely important step, undertaken by our country on the way of democratic development, the people of Azerbaijan showed to the whole world that it whishes further continuation of the realized in the last decade in our country the farseeing internal and external policy.

A whole stage of the latest history of Azerbaijan is connected with the glorious and grandiose activity of our nationwide leader, politician of world scale and statesman, esteemed Heydar Aliyev. Devoting all his life to defense, strengthening and development of the Azerbaijani state, he was granted the right to be at the first rows of the greatest personalities of our history. Successes, achieved by our country late XX and in the beginning of XXI century in all spheres became possible just thanks to his indestructible will, decisiveness and tirelessness.

In 1969-1982s, thanks to unprecedented ability of esteemed Heydar Aliyev to lead, his strategic thinking and skill to foresee future, Azerbaijan, overcoming great way of development, appeared among the leading republics of the former Union. Entering down the history as period of political, economic, cultural rebirth, these years gave a strong impulse to the rise of national conciseness of our people. Just in this period, despite we were a part of the Soviet Empire, there were laid firm ground and strong fundament for further political and state independence of Azerbaijan.

The day of return of Heydar Aliyev in disturbed June 1993, when was solved the destiny of our statehood, when our freedom and independence appeared under insidious jeopardy, on insistent demand of the people, came to power Heydar Aliyev, who saved Azerbaijan just on the verge of abyss, catastrophe, and went down the history as a Day of National Salvation of our people. Coping with the extremely hard and responsible task, our nationwide leader said: “The rest of my life I dedicate to my nation” and demonstrated unprecedented selflessness in the name of Motherland.

Thanks to decisively realized in last years by our wise leader glorious saving and creative mission, ensured was eternity and inviolability of the independence of Azerbaijan. Cardinal political, economic, social reforms conducted in all spheres of public and state life, construction of legal, democratic and secular state, confirmation of the principles of civic society and market economy created necessary conditions for successive advance of Azerbaijan on the way of independence, permanent improvement of the welfare of our people. As the result of realization of the new oil strategy and strategy of economic development constantly increases investment flow to our country. There was created the Oil Fund for more effective use of the oil profits. Rapidly is re-growing industry and agriculture, maintained stability of manat, grows currency resources of our state.

The Republic of Azerbaijan became an influential member of the world community. Our independent state deserved great authority and trust, as a country, playing a stabilizing role in such region as the Caucasus, with significant geo-political position, decisively marching on the path of democratic development, holding central place in realization of huge economic projects which brings closer and closer Europe and Asia. Completion of the projects on restoration of the historical Silk Road, construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan MEP, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum will greatly consolidate the leading position of Azerbaijan in this region.

Our independent state is a full member of the United Nations, OSCE, the Council of Europe, and Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Organization of Islamic Conference, CIS, Organization of Economic Cooperation and other influential international organizations, initiator and active participant of the regional organization GUUAM. One of out greatest achievements is admission to the Council of Europe. Admission to the full membership of this authoritative organization was an important step in integration of Azerbaijan to the European family.

Created were the Armed Forces, able to defend independence of our state, tranquility of our people, restore territorial integrity of our country. Our strong national army is a reliable guarantee of peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the base of norms and principles of international law.

Created was a firm legislative base of our country, meeting the European standards, ensured was the rights of man and citizen, supremacy of law, realities of our society became freedom of speech, expression, conscience, political pluralism. In the conscience of people became leading the ideas of statehood, Azerbaijanism. There were undertaken measures directed to protection of the language, moral values, strengthening of contacts with the country fellows, residing abroad, with the historical Motherland. Great work is being carried out for creation of civil solidarity in the society.

The independent Azerbaijani state, confidently moving on the path of democratic development, is the creation of the bright talent and inexhaustible creative energy of Heydar Aliyev, who devoted his life to serve the people. Thanks to his invaluable human features – wisdom, spiritual purity, sincerity, fairness and selflessness, our nationwide leader deserved endless love of the people, basing on our national-moral values and power of truth, he, along his 60-years activity, several times proved his adherence to the ideas of Azerbaijanism and statehood.

One of the contributions of esteemed Heydar Aliyev before Azerbaijan is that preparing his political successor Ilham Aliyev, he created bases for successive development of our independent state. Our people know You as a worthy adherer of the political school of Heydar Aliyev, as highly intellectual, pragmatic politician, able to complete, launched by him crucial deeds and perspective plan and continue the realized hitherto wise internal and external policy, as energetic and initiative personality, brilliantly knowing modern world policy and economy.

In short period, You won the peak of political and diplomatic Olympic, thanks to Your characteristic feature of extreme organizing capacity achieved great success at such responsible positions as the first deputy chairman of the “Yeni Azerbaijan” Party, first voce-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, president of the National Olympic Committee, head of the Azerbaijan delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Your leadership of the election campaign of the “Yeni Azerbaijan” Party at the 2000 parliamentary elections, as well as conduction as the candidate of the election campaign at the 2003 presidential elections once again demonstrated Your features in the capacity of political leader. With deep content, accurate and logical speeches at the meetings with the electors in numerous regions of the country, talks and dialogues with the population asserted in the conscience of our people Your image of real politician.

All know about Your contributions in realization of the oil contract, known as the “Contract of the Century”. Your negotiations with the foreign partners played an important role in preparation of the said contract with favorable for Azerbaijan terms. You played invaluable role in preparation of the oil contracts, realization of the oil strategy of esteemed Heydar Aliyev.

Your organizing abilities after You headed the National Olympic Committee, became known not only in the country, but also beyond its borders. Successes reached by our sportsmen at the Olympic in Sydney, at the next international contests will serve expression of large extent of the Olympic Movement in Azerbaijan under Your leadership. Thanks to Your care and attention for young sportsmen in numerous regions of country, there are built and commissioned beautiful Olympic Complexes. All these create firm ground for bright future of the Azerbaijani sports.

Your leadership of the permanent delegation of Milli Mjalis at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe opened a large field for effective application of Your diplomatic skill and organizing abilities in the name of interests of our people. Your ability to objectively estimate the events and favorably direct them turned the Council of Europe to the most effective international platform to bring the truth on Azerbaijan to the whole world, exposing of the aggressive and terrorist policy of Armenia against our country. In a short period of our participation at this influential organization, our deputies spread at this Organization over 30 documents, directed to bringing to the notice of the European and world community the truth on the issues, crucial for Azerbaijan, including connected with the occupation by the Armenian Armed Forces of the 20 percent of our lands, becoming of over one million of our compatriots as refugees and IDPs, planting and processing at the occupied territories narcotics, training of terrorist groups, causing serious damage to the environment, possessing cultural heritage of Azerbaijan, adopted document confirming fact of occupation by Armenian of the Azerbaijani lands.

Your election at the winter 2003 session of the said Organization as vice-president and Bureau member of this structure was evidence to great respect and positive attitude of the Council of Europe to our country. It is pleased that You are the first politician in the history of Azerbaijan, elected to the high post of such authoritative international organization.

Dear Mr. President,

In his Address to the people of Azerbaijan, esteemed Heydar Aliyev noted that he believes in You, he does in as himself, and relies on You. In connection with these valuable words of our nationwide leader, we state that we, as the whole people, believe in You, as our wise leaders Heydar Aliyev does, and experience feelings of joy that You will rule our independent state. At the present conditions, when the world globalization process has acquired large extent, when the distance among the countries is reduced, the factor of competent leadership becomes of extreme importance. Adopting at the presidential elections the only true decision, voting for You, the people of Azerbaijan once again demonstrated how wise it is.

Dear Mr. President,

We wish You success at the post of President of Azerbaijan Republic in the name of happy future of our state and people. We assure You that Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as always, actively supporting the political course of Heydar Aliyev, which You will continue, will make every effort to promote You at the coming creative work. Let the Almighty bless You.

With deep sense of respect,

Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic

City of Baku, 1 November 2003