OFFICIAL NEWS
VISIT OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV TO NAKHCHIVAN
CEREMONY OF OPENING OF NAKHCHIVAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV
Dear sisters and brothers!
Dear friends!
I am happy to greet you and express my deep respect and love to you.
Today is very remarkable day in our life. Today, the Nakhchivan Airport built at the initiative of founder of modern Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev is going to be put into operation. On this occasion, I offer my sincere congratulations to all of you.
This airport meets high international standards. I remember that our national leader Heydar Aliyev held a lot of meetings in this connection, and kept under control the construction work. He was longing for Nakhchivan to have beautiful, modern airport to serve people. Today, it is becoming a reality. The Heydar Aliyev’s work - the Nakhchivan Airport - is opening its doors.
Although today is very beautiful day, it is at the same time very sad one, because we all wanted our national leader Heydar Aliyev to attend himself the airport’s opening and cut this red ribbon. But his health problem did not allow him to do so.
Today, Azerbaijan is living without Heydar Aliyev. However, his ideas, philosophy and policy are alive. Modern Azerbaijan build by him is living, getting stronger and will continue to live and advance.
We all are devoted to this policy. We all must continue this policy. We must promote developing Azerbaijan in all spheres following the path of Heydar Aliyev. I am confident that we will achieve this goal. The people support this policy. The people do not accept any alternative to this policy, and this is the main condition for all we have to do in the future be a success.
This airport will connect Nakhchivan to other places, cities. The ancient land of Nakhchivan is now living under blockade, isolated from other regions of the country, so, indeed, airway is the people’s only vehicle for communication. The Nakhchivan airport has received international status. This will make it possible to work at opening new air routes.
I would like to note as well that Azerbaijan is planning to purchase new modern aircrafts made abroad that will also provide high-level service to our people.
In general, Azerbaijan’s whole transport infrastructure is getting renewed. This is very important factor as it is an indication of economic development of the country.
As you know, Azerbaijan has been very successfully developed for the last years; huge investments are flowing into the country, it ranks first among the countries of the region, CIS and Eastern Europe in foreign investments per capita. All this is the result of the Heydar Aliyev’s policy - political, economic and social reforms implemented in our Republic.
The 10-year oil strategy initiated by Heydar Aliyev has made it possible to increase currency reserves of our country. Today we can see the results of this strategy. Putting the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline into operation will allow Azerbaijan to rapidly strengthen its economic potential that in its turn will have very positive impact upon solving social problems: opening new jobs, increase in wages and salaries, pensions etc. This is what we are striving for.
Nakhchivan is a rapidly developing republic, and this fact is very pleases us. Nakhchivan is very dear land to every Azerbaijani. Though living under hard blockade conditions, the resident of Nakhchivan have managed to do great job. The high-level construction of this airport and other objects in the city shows the great progress achieved here.
Nakhchivan was always a focus of Heydar Aliyev’s attention. Not only because it is his motherland, where Heydar Aliyev was born, but also because Nakhchivan is the land of strategic importance to Azerbaijan. This policy will be continued in future.
We want people in Nakhchivan and other regions of Azerbaijan to live better, be provided with job, have suitable wages and salaries and be socially more protected. All this aspects are reflected in our programs. I hope we will achieve this goals.
Dear residents of Nakhchivan,
Dear friends!
Today, I am very happy to be with you, in the ancient land of Nakhchivan. We are going to stay here for a couple of days, and then we will return to Baku, but I want you to know that our hearts are here, with you.
Once again accept my congratulations and best wishes for your good health and every success.
Thank you.