President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremony.

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On the same day, a swimming center was opened in the city of Nakhchivan.

Head of Azerbaijan State attended the ceremony and made a speech.

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After familiarization tour, Head of State answered questions of media representatives.

Q. Mr. President, Your first arrival to Nakhchivan was taken with great interests, this is the second one…

A: If you remember, staying here in May this year, we did visit the school to learn how the work was going on and decided that I would arrive here again to attend its opening. I always keep my word, as you know, and now I am here. Taking the chance I’ve also visited other large objects in Nakhchivan including the Swimming and Civil Defense Centers. After midnight we’ll hold a meeting at the Supreme Majlis. I’ve made sure once again that Nakhchivan had become more beautiful and developed. Nakhchivan is an ancient Azerbaijan’s land, a strategic area of Azerbaijan, and everybody must take every effort to strengthen Nakhchivan both from military and economic standpoints for the people here to live better.

Q. Mr. President, your visit to Paris is expected in the next few days. May we have the date of the visit, and are bilateral meetings expected there?

A: This will be a working visit. The bilateral meetings are expected during the first ten days of September.

Q. Mr. President, in the last days, Russia, Moscow is overwhelmed by the wave of terror. What do think about it?

A: I have expressed sympathy to Head of Russia Mr. Putin. This is a great trouble, great menace. Azerbaijan itself used to suffer from terrorism. We are well aware what it is. It’s very difficult to fight terror. Fighting terrorist attacks around the world needs consolidation of all forces, all countries. We most resolutely condemn the terror acts committed in the last days in Russia. We hope the crisis will be settled soon, and the hostages released.

Q. You will have to meet with Armenian President. Armenia is conducting military exercises. There is an opinion in our public that the negotiations are useless. How do see the prospects of the upcoming talks?

A: Since I haven’t yet rejected the talks, then I hope for them to bring results. If you remember, I stated more than once that I was not going to just imitate the negotiations. As soon as I am sure the talks are ineffective and that I don’t believe in their future, then Azerbaijan will be the first to reject the negotiations. What I can say now is that there is a need to continue the talks. The talks are going on, foreign ministers meet. Of course, sometimes you are unsatisfied with their answers to your questions on the matter, but it is normal as the negotiations are confidential. We have not yet come to a certain result. But the talks cover concrete issues. I want to hope that they will be effective. Azerbaijan’s lands will be released and its territorial integrity restored.

Q. Mr. President, the judge passed the sentence on the members of the Organization of Karabakh Liberation. Do you agree with the verdict not as a President but a citizen Ilham Aliyev?

A: Good question. As a President I cannot and don’t want to interfere in the court’s decision. But as a citizen, I consider the sentence passed is not adequate to their actions. It ‘s too hard penalty; as a citizen I can’t back up the decision. I would recommend addressing the Court of Appeal, and I hope the issue will be resolved. At the same time, the Law is for everybody. One should not idealize any organization or person. Authorized structures and persons in Azerbaijan are working hard on the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The president, foreign minister, defense minister and other relevant structures know their jobs well. They know well when and what step they should take. So, the public has to have adequate attitude to such organizations. We should not make an image of hero for anybody. Of course, every organization has its own position, but everything should be exercised within the limits of Law. We are building a legal state and stand for supremacy of Law. So, every citizen must honor the Law. But I want to repeat that the verdict brought in is too severe, and as a citizen, I don’t agree with that. I hope the problem will be fairly solved.

Q. Mr. President, the other day You appointed ambassadors to four countries. What would you comment on this?

A: I consider this decision as very important, Azerbaijan should take more active part in the international community, defend its stance. Azerbaijan has few representative offices abroad, so it had been planned to open more embassies.

Q. Mr. President, is a new decree on pardon expected in the near future.

A: Yes, it is.

Q. Mr. President, during the upcoming CIS Heads of State summit in Astana, Russia intends to raise the question on the double standards at OSCE. May we have your opinion on the issue?

A: Our opinion was expressed during the July summit when Azerbaijan didn’t sign the statement. There were reasons for doing so then. We, as a country, are pursuing independent policy, and this independence is most important for us. We can also make claims on OSCE. I personally expressed them our claims quite sharply, they are reflected in official documents. But these issues concern us only. The question is of political character and Azerbaijan does not intend to interfere with that. We are pursuing our policy independently, it was not accidental that I didn’t sign the statement in July, and won’t this time.

Q. Mr. President, is the Council of Europe going to discuss Azerbaijan related issue?

A: Hope the discussion will be constructive. There is not any problem between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe. At the moment, our relations with the Council of Europe are being developed; the organization meets the political and economic reforms in Azerbaijan with approval. I am very pleased of this. I expect that the issue of honoring commitments will be discussed along the way; there may be some recommendations or certain criticism, but that is quite normal.

Q. Mr. President, Nakhchivan has been living under blockade for 12 years. Nevertheless, considerable accomplishments have been gained. Don’t you think the time has come to give the rank of city-hero to Nakhchivan?

A: You know, it’s an obsolete practice. We should abandon the Soviet experience. The ranks would reflect nothing then. Heroism must be reflected in people’s attitude to their city and country. Our national leader Heydar Aliyev paid special attention to Nakhchivan not because he had been born here but because he realized very well how important Nakhchivan is for Azerbaijan. We continue to follow this policy, and I am very happy the good job done by local authorities brings yields.

Q. Mr. President, after the meeting with President Khatami, you did not presented detailed information on the North-South corridor. Was the issue generally discussed?

A: Of course, it was. We don’t have any difference of opinion. Both Iran and we have concern in the functioning of the corridor, Azerbaijan’s joining it, and certain steps have been taken and talks held with this respect. It is very important for us. Maybe this issue was not reflected in a document but was seriously discussed. If all these agreements are realized, Nakhchivan will be completely supplied with electricity and gas in two years.

Thank you.

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On September 2, President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev held an enlarged meeting at the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. He addressed the meeting with an opening remark. The President noted in particular that Nakhchivan is now rapidly developing and that good job in municipal improvements has been done in the republic. He also mentioned the strengthening of the republic’s infrastructure. As I mentioned earlier today, he said, 70 thousand new jobs have been opened here since the presidential elections; all these facts show that we are on the right way.

The Head of State further touched upon the energy problems in Nakhchivan. Nakhchivan has been living under blockade for many years. Supply of natural gas from Azerbaijan is impossible, while electricity supply does not fully meet the demands. However, appropriate measures have been taken to completely supply Nakhchivan with natural gas and electricity, President Ilham Aliyev said.

Following the presidential remarks, the meeting participants have held a comprehensive opinions exchange on the mentioned issues.

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In the evening on the same day, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev returned to Baku.