I am very pleased to be in Turkey again.

Turkey and Azerbaijan are fraternal countries, and our people are also fraternal. To participate today in this wonderful event is a great responsibility and a great happiness. Great leader Heydar Aliyev devoted his whole life to serving his native people. At all stages of his life he devotedly and with dignity served Azerbaijan. And in 1993, with his return to Azerbaijan and election as President, Azerbaijan’s new long development strategy began. Many long years, through centuries Azerbaijan was not independent, we were a part of other countries. But since 1991 we have started to live as an independent state. Those years were very hard for Azerbaijan, our country was facing great difficulties. The country was facing political and economic crisis, the country’s independence was actually under the threat. The country was on the verge of dismemberment. The Azerbaijani people’s wisdom proved itself once again when they invited Heydar Aliyev to Azerbaijan, and since 1993 up today Azerbaijan has been in the stage of development, our country becomes stronger, and is strengthening in all directions.

Azerbaijan’s independence became everlasting and irreversible, our country also managed to gain its deserved place in the international arena.

The positive processes going in Azerbaijan along with our country’s development positively influence on the processes going in the region.

Azerbaijan today is a politically and economically developing country.

The successful political and economic reforms started in the mid-1990s, thanks to Heydar Aliyev’s activity, today turned Azerbaijan into the country with great potential. Economic and political stability, normalization of socio-political situation, and suspension of civil confrontation in Azerbaijan - all these are merits of great leader Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan today leads the world in economic growth rate, and the foundations for this were laid in the mid-1990s. Our country today is developing rapidly enough, last year the economic growth rate in Azerbaijan was 26 percent. The country is strengthening its political position in the region, and the Azerbaijani people look ahead with confidence. Heydar Aliyev also played important role in development of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations. He loved Turkey very much. Every time he was visiting Turkey he felt more pacification and happiness, Heydar Aliyev has an irrefutable role in reaching the high level of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations.

His well known saying “Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation, two states” is very dear to all us. This expression, this saying comes from the heart. At the same time, these words have great sense, they have historical value, great value for strengthening, development of the Turkey-Azerbaijan unity, and today both in Turkey, and in Azerbaijan these words live in hearts of people. We try and we shall try to achieve henceforth the further progress, greater strengthening of these remarkable fraternal relations, enrich it with new forms. Much depends on our unity. The happiness of our peoples, the processes ongoing in region, strengthening of security, and interaction in region - all this in a huge degree depends on the Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation. Now, this cooperation has reached the highest level. Political, economic, cultural, all other relations between us are at the highest level. We are very pleased with it.

Tomorrow we are to have a huge historical event. We shall mark the most important event launched under Heydar Aliyev's initiative of the modern oil strategy of Azerbaijan - opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline above, which we worked during many years. The BTC pipeline is named after Heydar Aliyev. And it is not casual. In fact. under his initiative in the middle of 1990s of last century, it was decided to construct the oil pipeline of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan. Our Turkish brothers have given Heydar Aliyev’s name also to the Ceyhan Terminal. It once again testifies that Heydar Aliyev has greater merits in realization of the mentioned projects. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will bring closer the two countries, will increase our value, the Turkish-Azerbaijani unity, the brotherhood and cooperation will become stronger. It is a project of world scale. The world's largest power project. But it is followed by a new project. Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas main has already begun. It is planned to commission up to the end of this year. It once again shows that the thought-out, expedient oil strategy yields fruit. After realization of the said project, the Azerbaijan gas will be delivered both to Georgia, and to Turkey, and also to be transported through Turkey to other countries. It means, that the named projects already were beyond a regional plane and pass in a world plane. They will play the role in strengthening power security in the world.

This event testifies also that where there is cooperation, mutual understanding, and all questions can find their solution. Several years ago, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project was presented as a myth. Some people did not trust that we should realize it. But the unity of our peoples, joint activity of our leaders has transformed it from a myth into a reality. Our relations become stronger in other areas, too. On my part, I continue and I shall continue henceforth this policy.

Heydar Aliyev’s policy lives in every field, including in strengthening of the Turkish-Azeri relations. These relations should further strengthen, and our unity should be tighter. We have similar positions on all questions. Both in bilateral relations and regional processes, and in the whole, in the questions of world importance Turkey and Azerbaijan have the same stance. This is important both for us, our nations and countries, and for region and the world. Our cooperation, the jointly implemented huge projects strengthen our positions in the world. In a word, Turkey and Azerbaijan gain larger opportunities on the world scale.

Today is very exciting day for me. I participate in this action as the President of Azerbaijan. At the same time, Heydar Aliyev is my father, and for me as the son, participation in this action is extremely important. Therefore, today I am twice happy. In one of the most remarkable cities of the world, in nice Istanbul, in one of its most beautiful places, Sariyer, will be opened the monument to the nationwide leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev. It is huge historical event, which once again shows that the relations between us, between our countries are at the highest level. It once again testifies that bright memory of Heydar Aliyev lives in the heart of Turkey and Turkish people. Both in Azerbaijan, and in Turkey with greater approval the people recollect his activity, his principles of work and his contribution to our relations. It is a sign of sincere relations existing between us, friendship, a brotherhood, the sign of our unity. We support it and should do the utmost for their further strengthening. I always spoke and I wish to reiterate, that our force is in unity. The more closely we shall cooperate, the more stronger will become our positions. There are the forces against us, not perceiving our successes, but contrary to all of their attempts, we have achieved the mentioned goal. Today, this patriotic youth with greater enthusiasm expresses the wishes, which I join also. We together shall solve the Karabakh problem. The Karabakh problem will be settled on the basis of principles of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. As a result of the unfair actions accomplished against Azerbaijan, the unleashed aggression, the occupation of our lands, the ethnic policy of cleanse pursued by Armenians politicians against Azerbaijanis, more than 1 million of our compatriots stay in position of refugees and IDPs. For long years we try to solve this question peacefully, by negotiations, but all these efforts remain ineffectual. We never shall reconcile to loss our lands. We increase our political, economic, military force. Successful development of Azerbaijan, our tendencies of strengthening once again show that we shall achieve the fair solution of the problem. We give to the Armenian side a chance, the chance of voluntarily to leave the occupied areas so that territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has been restored.

But at the same time, we should be ready for all versions. The growing force, value of Azerbaijan, its military-economic potential, the processes occurring in region, certainly, strengthen our positions more and more. I am convinced and do not doubt at all that we shall achieve the fair settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh problem in the frame of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and territorial integrity of our country will be restored.

Value of the Turkish-Azeri relations in this cause, certainly, is great. After restoration of the state independence Azerbaijan always felt support and the help of Turkey. It continues since 1991, on behalf of Azerbaijan people I wish to express once again to the Turkish people deep gratitude for all this, for this friendship, and brotherhood.

Dear friends, to participate in opening of this park, of this monument is a great happiness, and once again taking this opportunity, I express to all the Turkish people, my Turkish brothers and sisters deep respect and love, I wish the Turkish people, Turkey new and new successes, happiness. Thanks.

**

Then, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev together with the state minister of Turkey Mehmet Ali Shahin, chairmen of Beyukshor municipality of Istanbul and Sariyer municipality has unveiled the monument to Heydar Aliyev. The President of Azerbaijan laid flowers to the monument to the great leader. The state minister Mehmet Ali Shahin and chairmen of municipalities also laid flowers to the monument.

The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the state minister Mehmet Ali Shahin and chairmen of municipalities have laid a wreath and flowers to the bust of Ataturk in the Heydar Aliyev Park. Then, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has unveiled the tablet with words “Heydar Aliyev Street”.