TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE XXIV CONGRESS OF TURKISH ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
I extend my heartfelt greetings to you, the delegates of the Congress of the Turkish Associations of America, and best wishes for successful work of the forum.
Hundreds of thousands Turks representing the brotherly Republic of Turkey and its people have been living and working in many countries including the United States of America.
Love to the Turkish Republic founded by Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and to the people of Turkey, high objectives on protection and preservation of culture, religion, language and other moral values peculiar to Turkism, and steadfast will are what unites all of them.
These people are actively involved in political, economic, social and cultural life of the countries of their residence, and at the same time, they keep up links with their historical motherland, the Great Turkey, and always share its joy and sorrow. Therefore, along with capabilities and power, Turkey is known today throughout the world by its powerful international Diaspora, and great and authoritative Turkish community.
In this globalizing world, it is quite usual that people of a certain country’s origin spread throughout the world and make themselves at home in other countries. Experience shows however, the closer their ties with each other and their historical Motherland, the stronger they are. Closely-knit peoples on the one hand are able to effectively assert their national and civil rights, and on the other hand, to better solve the problems their motherland faces within the international community. It gives me pleasure that the Turkish Diaspora in America has both internal solidarity and great power from the organizational standpoint.
After the independence, effective activity was carried out under the leadership of our national leader Heydar Aliyev aimed at finding and uniting people throughout the world somehow concerned with our country. Citizens representing the fraternal Turkey, their communities and unions have always been side by side with Azerbaijan in this cause, supported us. They, in particular, Turks living in the USA, have ever shown their love to Azerbaijan, shared its problems.
For the past decade, the state leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan have taken every effort for strengthening our ties, further rapprochement of out peoples, and done their best for them to share their achievements and problems. This is very pleasant that along with state officials, representatives of the two peoples’ Diaspora in foreign countries, advanced businessmen and the ordinary people have joined this activity today. This is reaffirmed by the unity exhibited at the Congress. I think the people representing both Turkey and Azerbaijan will be further side by side, will share joy and sorrow. The ideas of the Great Ataturk on unity and striving of the nationwide leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev for “one nation, two states” will ever lead our activity along the common way.
I once again extend my congratulations to the Congress participants and all Turkism followers in the United States, and best wishes for realization of the resolutions adopted.
Ilham Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The city of Baku, January 26, 2004
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