Dear sisters and brothers!

Dear friends!

I intimately welcome all of you. I express you deep respect and love.

Today is very significant day in our life. Today, it is commissioned the Nakhchivan airport constructed under the initiative of the national leader of Azerbaijan people, the founder of modern Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. I intimately congratulate all of you in this case.

This airport answers all high world standards. Here are the complex, a runway, other objects of the infrastructure, constructed a nice airport building, and all this is constructed at a high level. I recollect, as the national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev carried out numerous meetings and the meetings connected to this construction, and from the very beginning the works were under his constant control. He wished to be constructed a nice airport suitable to Nakhchivan. Today, we have achieved it. Heydar Aliyev’s creation – the new Nakhchivan airport opens its doors.

Today is a fine day. But at the same time, it is a mournful day. As all of us wanted, we wished our national leader He6dar Aliyev himself has taken part in opening of this airport, and himself has cut this red ribbon and has given the airport his blessing. However, the health did not give him such opportunity.

Today, Azerbaijan lives without Heydar Aliyev. This is a great test for all of us, the big examination for all of us, great grief for all of us. But we are consoled that Heydar Aliyev’s ideas live. His philosophy, Heydar Aliyev’s policy goes ahead. It lives, becomes stronger and the modern Azerbaijan created by him will live henceforth.

All of us are devoted to this policy. All of us should continue this policy. Azerbaijan should develop comprehensively. I am confident, that we shall achieve it. The people support this policy. People do not accept the policy alternative to his policy, and it is the basic condition for success of all which we carry out in the future.

At the same time, this airport will connect Nakhchivan with other districts and cities. The ancient Azerbaijan land – Nakhchivan is in a condition of isolation from other part of Azerbaijan, lives in conditions of heavy blockade. Therefore, certainly, for passengers the air way is a unique communication facility.

Today, in the morning was held opening of the building of air terminal in Baku for local airlines and the terminal of the international airport carrying the name of Heydar Aliyev. We have taken part in opening. The said terminal also will be to serve, mainly, the residents of Nakhchivan, at the highest level to serve the people living in Nakhchivan. At the same time, the organization of direct flights in other cities is provided. The Nakhchivan airport is given the international status. Using the given status, it will be possible to work above other routes.

I want to note the following also: in the near future, the next year in Azerbaijan, it is also stipulated purchase of new, modern planes. The new modern planes made abroad will be delivered, that also, in turn, will allow rendering to our citizens of service at very high level.

As a whole, all transport infrastructures in Azerbaijan is updated, modernized. It very much pleases us. Activity of our airlines is at a high level. The Caspian Shipping Company works with very big profit, successfully. Also Management of the Azerbaijan Railway successfully works, the new equipment, cars have been bought and there are regenerative works. In Azerbaijan, large projects on highways are carried out, and the new roads, and in the near future the roads connecting Azerbaijan with all directions were laid which will answer the highest world standards. It is extremely important factor. Development of transport is a parameter of the general economic development of the country.

As you know, for the last few years Azerbaijan very successfully develops, in this sphere Azerbaijan outstrips all other former Soviet republics. Large investments have been put in Azerbaijan, and on volume of foreign investments per capita Azerbaijan holds the first place in region, in the space of the CIS and the Eastern Europe. All these are results of the Heysdar Aliyev’s policy. Result of the political, economic, social reforms conducted in Azerbaijan for the last few years.

Today, Azerbaijan very confidently moves ahead. Azerbaijan has fine prospects. In Azerbaijan, social status of people improves year by year, the wages raise, and pensions grow. This process will be continued and henceforth. The budget of Azerbaijan increases every year and allows us to erect such fine buildings. If in the first years of our independence the majority of the enterprises created in Azerbaijan functioned due to foreign credits, now the basic works are conducted at our expense. It shows, that our country has great opportunities. We have big currency reserves.

The successful oil strategy pursued in Azerbaijan within the last 10 years under the initiative of Heydar Aliyev, allows us to increase currency reserves of our country. Today, we see evident results of the said strategy. The works which are carried out in oil sector, the investments put in Azerbaijan, grandiose oil and gas mains will allow us to turn our country in some years into the rich, powerful state. It is our purpose, our policy.

After operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline the next year, it will strengthen the economic potential. And it, in turn, will allow paying even greater attention to social questions, to raise wages, to increase pensions, other allowances. It was Heydar Aliyev’s policy. Service to people, the nation, strengthening of our country, and independence of Azerbaijan are the basic directions of this policy. We are true to this policy.

Azerbaijan, it is possible to tell, is the most dynamically developing country in the region. IN comparison with the neighboring states, we see, that our rates of development, our economic potential strongly differ, and gradually this difference will prove even more distinctly.

As a result of realization in Azerbaijan within forthcoming 5 years of social and economic programs, it is provided opening of hundreds thousand of workplaces. It is confident, that we shall achieve it. We carry out all stipulated actions.

Nakhchivan develops very intensively. It pleases all of us. Nakhchivan is dear, native land for each of Azerbaijani. It is the ancient land of Azerbaijan. Work on the accomplishment and creation, done in Nakhchivan for the last few years, very much pleases all of us. The residents of Nakhchivan, living in heavy conditions, in the conditions of blockade, have done huge work. Construction of this airport, erection of other objects in city and high level construction works testify that Nakhchivan develops very intensively.

Nakhchivan always was in the center of attention of Heydar Aliyev. Not only because it is Heydar Aliyev’s native land, and Heydar Aliyev was born in Nakhchivan. It is also because the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan is the territory having for Azerbaijan strategic value. Certainly, Heydar Aliyev always attached great importance to all-round strengthening of Nakhchivan. And this policy will be continued.

I have some times marked: the special attitude to Nakhchivan will be shown and henceforth, and I am constant, I shall always support the residents of Nakhchivan.

We wish, that people in Nakhchivan and other regions of Azerbaijan lived better, have been provided with work that the wages received by them suited them that they have been even more reliably socially protected. All these factors are component of our programs. I hope, that we shall achieve it.

Dear residents of Nakhchivan!

Dear friends!

I today have arrived in Nakhchivan. I have repeatedly been in Nakhchivan in the past. It was, in particular, in 1990-1993s, when Heydar Aliyev lived and worked in Nakhchivan. I have repeatedly been here and witness those heavy conditions. I have seen in what difficult conditions the people lived in those cold, frosty winters... But look, what fine conditions have been created today. These conditions show that our country develops, our country lives, our country becomes stronger and will become stronger henceforth.

I am very glad, happy, that I am today together with you on the ancient Azerbaijan land - in Nakhchivan. We shall be together some more days. But also when we shall return to Baku, know, that our heart is here, close to you. Once again I congratulate you, I wish you health, successes. Thanks.”

President of Azerbaijan once again greeted the servicemen and wished them new successes.