REMARKS BY PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV
We are conducting the Security Council’s meeting in the very first days of 2006. It is a necessity, because, as you know, normally the Security Council’s the meetings are conducted regularly to discuss the country’s most important issues, those of strategic significance, and to set the major priorities and trends of our development strategy. I believe, from this viewpoint, our today’s gathering is of great importance.
I have no doubt that the positive tendencies seen in Azerbaijan will be even further reinforced. Azerbaijan will to take more active part in the ongoing regional processes, and build up its economic potential. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline constructed at the initiative of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev will start operating in 2006. By the end of the year, also the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas main will be put into operation. These events are of course of global scale, and will make a great contribution to both building up Azerbaijan’s economic potential and strengthening peace, security and cooperation in the region.
Solving socio-economic problems in the country shall be speeded up in 2006. All necessary conditions are available to achieve this goal. The socio-economic programs and regions’ development programs we adopted are being implemented successfully. Enormous works should be done both in economic and social sphere. Solving social problems directly depends on economic potential. Certainly, these problems will be solved faster with increasing our economic potential.
Construction of schools and hospitals is underway across the country. Today, improvement of the people’s living conditions is our major task. Poverty reduction and unemployment elimination are currently our vital problems, and we are engaged in their tackling on a daily basis.
2006 also gives certain hopes for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As you know, the Minsk Group and its co-chairs have recently increased their efforts to this end, and out forward certain proposals. We are considering and discussing them. However, our position on the problem remains unchanged. This question can find its solution only on the base of the international law norms. No territorial integrity of Azerbaijan can be the subject of negotiations.
Consolidation of the Prague process is a positive factor. The parties and structures involved in the issue already present it as a main path. The Prague process is a positive process and an important step in stage-by-stage settlement.
We are to solve all these questions. Positive tendencies are seen both socio-economic and political processes taking place in Azerbaijan. From this standpoint, the 2005 parliamentary elections gave a strong impetus to development of democracy in the country. Democratic processes were very intensive in pre-election period and continue to run in the same way after the elections. Azerbaijan, from this standpoint, is a rapidly developing country. Democratic development will be one of our essential tasks in 2006, as well. Stability and civil solidarity established in Azerbaijan enable us to achieve all-round development in the country both from economic and political viewpoint. Of course, democratic development is also of crucial importance to us.
We should strive for reinforce independence of Azerbaijan and strengthen our energy security in 2006. As you know, the problem of energy carriers manifests itself more clearly in the region. Azerbaijan has no such problems. We have taken due measures timely. We, of course, rely on our internal resources. And, therefore, there is an increase in oil and gas production in Azerbaijan. Next year, both oil and gas production is expected to notably increase bringing extra revenues to the country. At the same time, it will allow us to satisfy our needs to a greater extent, albeit, there is still a need for export gas. That is why it was decided on resolving this problem too. We have achieved it in time, and I hope there won’t be energy problem in Azerbaijan in the winter season.
As you know, we are also engaged in strengthening our energy infrastructure. Big and small power stations are being constructed, gas mains are being renewed, and gas meters are being installed. This is one of the social problems the people are concerned about most, and we must solve it.
In a word, in 2006, we should work harder, and more efficiently. Everyone in his workplace should perform his official duties, and we should give an account of this to the people of Azerbaijan in a regular manner.
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Afterwards, the outstanding tasks for 2006 were discussed at the meeting.
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