Sofia hosts conference on 90th anniversary of Azerbaijan`s national leader Heydar Aliyev
Baku, April 25 (AZERTAC). A conference on the 90th anniversary of Azerbaijan`s national leader Heydar Aliyev has been held in Sofia. The event was co-organized by Azerbaijan`s embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria-Azerbaijan Friendship Group and CIS Peoples Friendship Federation.
The conference was attended by former presidents of Bulgaria Peter Stoyanov and Georgi Parvanov, speaker of the 40th National Assembly Georgi Pirinski, Bulgaria`s first Chargé d’Affaires in Azerbaijan Yuksel Ahmed and former ambassador Ivan Palchev, top officials of Bulgaria`s Presidential Administration, Council of Ministers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other bodies, diplomats, journalists and members of the Azerbaijani community.
Speaking at the event, chairman of the CIS Peoples Friendship Federation Zahari Zahariev spoke of Heydar Aliyev`s role in strengthening the Azerbaijani statehood, increasing the country`s prestige across the world as well as developing Azerbaijan-Bulgaria relationship. Zahariev read out former Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev`s memorial letter about Heydar Aliyev. The letter highlights the official visit of national leader Heydar Aliyev to Bulgaria in 1995 and Zhelyu Zhelev`s trips to Azerbaijan, his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku in 2006, development of Azerbaijan-Bulgaria cooperation in international organizations, including the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
Former presidents Peter Stoyanov and Georgi Parvanov spoke of the national leader`s lifetime and activity, his contributions to development of Azerbaijan. They noted due the national leader`s efforts a ceasefire agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Georgi Pirinski said Azerbaijan had rich natural recourses, which Heydar Aliyev used for the welfare of his people. “This genius man devoted his whole life to Azerbaijan`s development.”
Yuksel Ahmed spoke of what national leader Heydar Aliyev did in the early 1990s to lift his country out of crisis. He added Azerbaijan`s joining the Council of Europe was the result of Heydar Aliyev`s successful foreign policy.
Ivan Palchev spoke of the national leader`s domestic and foreign policy. He also drew the attention to the work done in Azerbaijan to solve problems of IDPs who were driven out from their native lands as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Director General of Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Maxim Minchev said he had visited Azerbaijan several times, praising the development process in the country. He also hailed the fact that Azerbaijan`s capital regularly hosts international events. The director general recalled his participation in the Baku International Humanitarian Forum in 2012.
Azerbaijan`s ambassador to Bulgaria Emil Karimov thanked former presidents and other guests for participating in the conference. The diplomat briefed the event participants on the national leader`s activity, stressing that President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues his political course. The ambassador also touched upon Azerbaijan`s role in energy security of Europe.
The conference featured demonstration of a documentary on national leader Heydar Aliyev`s activity.
Ambassador Karimov gave an interview to Bulgaria-based BNT television channel to speak of reforms carried out in Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev.
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