NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY

Q: The 92nd anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev is widely celebrated in the country. How do you think what does Heydar Aliyev mean for Azerbaijan in general?

A: National leader Heydar Aliyev, who devoted his life to prosperity and well-being of his nation, holds a special place in the history of Azerbaijan.A talented politician and public figure Heydar Aliyev demonstrated his ability as a national leader and became a legend even when he was alive. The national leader has done unparalleled works for his nation during his ruling over the country during the Soviet period and as the president of an independent Azerbaijan.

National leader Heydar Aliyev, who assumed the leadership of the country during the most difficult of times at the request of his nation, gave great confidence to the people and laid the foundation for a country with the strong economic development.

He participated in the most complex and contradictory historical processes in the world without losing his self-control in difficult situations, appreciating geopolitical changes that could dramatically affect people.It is no coincidence that national leader Heydar Aliyev was always referred to as the founder of contemporary Azerbaijan. He created a new milestone in the modern history of Azerbaijan.

National leader Heydar Aliyev was a unique leader, who gained the love and respect of millions of people through his bright ideas and genuine works. He will remain with us eternally through his ideas and the works he accomplished for the future of Azerbaijan.

Q: What can you say of national leader Heydar Aliyev`s role in ensuring Azerbaijan`s position in the system of international relations?

A:Heydar Aliyev was a great philosopher and thinker of the present. The philosophy of Azerbaijanism, founded and developed by him, determined special role of Azerbaijan in the present world, rests in the basis of national statehood, created a firm base for solidarity of the World Azerbaijanis. The problems of national revival, which in the last century seriously worried the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, thanks to Heydar Aliyev, in these years, turned to a strategic state policy, from the science, sociology and philosophy - to a practical and political plane.Thanks to his bright political wisdom and talent, Heydar Aliyev created a new Azerbaijan, its current realities and defined the path leading to future.

The Republic of Azerbaijan lived a complicated period of its history in the first days of independence.

Under these circumstances the people of Azerbaijan made a historic decision to demand the return of national leader Heydar Aliyev as he was the only leader capable of saving Azerbaijan from split and collapse. Due to the foreign policy of Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan's relations with the world's leading countries and international organizations began developing in accordance with the national interests far-sighted political perspective. His resolute steps, skillful use of the most authoritative rostrums in the name national goals, had extremely important significance from the standpoint of the present and future of the Azerbaijan's statehood.

Active diplomacy of national leader Heydar Aliyev made democratic states and leading international public organizations change their attitude to our country and the armed conflict it had been involved in forcedly.

Q: We would like you to highlight the national leader`s foreign policy concept…

A: National leader Heydar Aliyev's foreign policy was based on peace, respect to international legal norms, integrity and inviolability of borders, territorial integrity of states and principles of mutually beneficial cooperation. Since the first days of returning to power national leader Heydar Aliyev was carrying out tense activity aimed at expanding and strengthening economic, political, literary and cultural links with Turkish speaking countries.He did extremely intensive and fruitful work to prepare and realize large-scale international economic agreements on utilization of natural resources and favorable geo-strategic position of Azerbaijan in accordance with the national interests.

Due to his huge political will and wise prescience, very important international contracts were signed and their implementation was launched. Heydar Aliyev was the initiator of Azerbaijan's leading role in realization of a number of world-scale economic programs of great political significance.One of key priorities in the national leader`s foreign policy was the expansion of cooperation with international organizations. Thanks to this well thought-out policy Azerbaijan today maintains fruitful and active cooperation with many international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Council of Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States, GUAM, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization, Interparliamentary Union, Economic Cooperation Organization, the European Union, NATO, International Monetary Fund,  the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, etc.

Q: How does Azerbaijan impact on regional processes?

A: Now energy policy of Azerbaijan plays more and more important role in our region. The projects which we are now implementing are completely changing the energy map of Europe. Today we know that energy security is primarily based on the natural gas reserves. From this point of view the role which Azerbaijan plays in the region is very significant. Azerbaijan for many decades ahead, maybe for hundred years, will be one of the important suppliers of gas to our consumers in Europe, and, of course, geopolitical importance of Azerbaijan will grow, our influence will grow.

Azerbaijan is the initiator of such large-scale projects as BTC, Baku-Supsa, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, Tanap and TAP. These projects dramatically increase Azerbaijan`s role in terms of energy security of Europe and the world in general. Azerbaijan’s geographical location definitely influenced the development of our nation. Situated just between East and West, between Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan has enjoyed for centuries a multicultural society. One of our biggest assets is that Azerbaijan always was an area of cooperation, area of mutual understanding.

National leader Heydar Aliyev`s wise policy is today successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev.