Dear friends!

Dear ladies and gentlemen!

I thank the management of the All-Russia Azerbaijan Congress for the invitation to be the visitor of your forum and I cordially welcome both its Russian participants, and all visitors who have arrived in Moscow from the friendly Azerbaijan.

I would like to emphasize two circumstances at once: first of all, we in Russia count the Azerbaijan community the important factor of strengthening of relations between our two states, its initiatives do good both to our political and business cooperation. And the second, all of us know that the Congress was created with participation - I would like to speak here in high style - the outstanding son of Azerbaijan people and sincere, really sincere, the friend to our country - to Russia – Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev. And that here there is the President of Azerbaijan, the son of the person whom all of us loved and respected, Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev is not only the symbol, this is confirmation to continuity of relations, the most sincere friendship and partnership between our peoples.

Dear friends, during centuries the peoples of Russia and Azerbaijan had the common historical destiny without exaggeration. We worked and lived together, that refers to as one family, invariable supporting each other during hard times. And the next year we shall mark together our common great holiday - the 60th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Russian people will forever hold in remembrance courage of more than half million sons and daughters of Azerbaijan people battling on fronts of Great Patriotic. We also well know about heroic work of workers of the rear delivering for victory over oil arsenals strategic fuel, that supplied army with weapon, ammunition, foodstuffs. In post-war years the Baku oilmen helped to master deposits of Siberia, pawned bases of powerful fuel and energy complex of the country. And tens thousand Russian experts strengthened industrial, agrarian potential of Azerbaijan, helped to create new high schools and centers of science.

I want to emphasize that in Russia we sincerely want to see Azerbaijan stable, safe, economically strong state. Only economically independent countries can form and carry out influential - and that it is important for Russia - independent policy, a policy of good neighborhood, mutual respect and friendship between peoples. And Russia is interested in such neighbors; Russia is interested in such Azerbaijan. I am convinced, that today we are obliged to save up and increase our invaluable property of good neighborhood and cooperation, achieved by hard and blood, should create all conditions for representatives of our peoples, make everything that the Russian people living in Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijanis living in Russia, felt comfortably.

Your Congress is a recognized and authoritative organization of the Azerbaijan Diaspora. You are engaged in cultural and educational activity, help in programs of social adaptation, and work on many other directions. And we think much of the contribution of the Azerbaijan Diaspora to all spheres of life of the Russian society. I want to emphasize and another. Questions of life and activity of the Azerbaijan Diaspora - one of most as I spoke, large, initiative - always are in the center of attention of bilateral political dialogue. In this connection, I think the major strategic task is opening for citizens of wide, equal-in-rights opportunities for study and work in two states, and certainly, for mutual development of rich national traditions, studying of the native language, native culture. And for this purpose, we, first of all, are obliged to generate together modern legal base of migratory and labor relations. It is not less important to involve representatives of Diaspora in solution of questions of interethnic links today. Not only the state bodies, but also the society should react immediately to any displays of xenophobia and religious intolerance, resolutely struggle with even meeting displays of an infection of household nationalism.

Both in Russia and in Azerbaijan we protect traditions of mutual respect of peoples, interethnic and inter-religious consent. And your Congress together with others public, religious, educational organizations, could offer its serious mite.

I reiterate, efficiency of such work in many respects depends on interaction of the Congress and with institutes of civil society, and with bodies of the government of our country.

I would like to tell also some words about our economic cooperation. Now we actively restore former and new cooperation connections between the Russian and Azerbaijan enterprises. Volumes of investments grow and direct contacts extend between the regions. In 2003, mutual turnover has increased almost by 40 percent, has made over half million dollars. However, the governments of two countries should not only fix this positive tendency, but also necessarily go further. They should think over ways of mutual assistance to promotion of business interests of Russia and Azerbaijan in the markets of the third countries.

And, at last, a special place in our relations should hold cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Carrying out of days of culture, performances of theatres and musical collectives, other creative projects enrich knowledge of two peoples of the life of each other. I think, you will agree with it, it is especially important today when we develop as the independent states. And, certainly, scientific, youth, educational exchanges, carrying out of joint sports competitions have huge value. All this is serious base for political dialogue, for strengthening our partnership. All this creates a favorable atmosphere for development of interstate relations.

I am convinced that your Congress, the Azerbaijan Diaspora as a whole are capable to raise productivity of our economic, business cooperation, capable to affect seriously growth of humanitarian communications, on strengthening of the spirit of trust in relations between our states.

Dear friends, we should remember and about other thing. Efficiency of our partnership directly influences on course of positive processes in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The weighed foreign policy line, common positions on many questions raise productivity of our work on international arena and raise authority both of Russia and Azerbaijan in the world, their value and role in the world. Besides, we are on one side of barricades in struggle against the international terrorism. This evil represents real danger to our citizens, to all Eurasian space. In both of our countries well know this threat. And consequently our general task is to increase effective antiterrorist partnership, strictly stop any displays of nationalism and extremism being a nutrient medium for terrorists and their helpers.

I shall especially emphasize one more question. Russia and Azerbaijan closely cooperate in settlement of the complex and confusing ball of contradictions in the Caucasus. Our country is extremely interested in peace and stable development of this region. At achievement of this strategic purpose, we are going to continue our active peace-making activity, to continue it together with you and other our partners in the CIS.

In today's Russia, we think much and love Magomayev's creativity, writers, and theatrical figures, such as Ibrahimbayov, artist Salahov. We know about serious contribution to the domestic science of such scientists as Salmanov, Mammad Aliyev. Names and achievements of such people are without any exaggeration pride of both Russia and Azerbaijan, of the Russian and Azerbaijan peoples. I am convinced that the Russian Azerbaijanis, as well as other citizens of our country, will further promote strengthening of Russia, increase of its international authority and status.

I wish your Congress fruitful work and successes, and all Azerbaijan Congress - new initiatives for the blessing of our two states, prosperity to Azerbaijan and all Azerbaijan people.

Thanks.