Heydar Aliyev put Azerbaijan in center of South Caucasus development

On the 100th birth anniversary of the national leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, HSE expert Nubara Kuliyeva and political scientist Dmitry Solonnikov, told Vestnik Kavkaza what the great statesman made for the USSR history, independent Azerbaijan and Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of the national leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev. Leading experts on the South Caucasus told Vestnik Kavkaza about Heydar Aliyev’s contribution to Soviet, Azerbaijani and world history. 

Azerbaijan’s history is inextricably linked with Heydar Aliyev

According to HSE expert Nubara Guliyeva, the modern history of Azerbaijan is inextricably linked with Heydar Aliyev’s work. "With his direct participation, the strengthening of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic took place. During the first years of independence, the development of the Republic of Azerbaijan was accelerated due to him. No wonder that the date of Heydar Aliyev's return to Baku - June 15 (1993) - is celebrated in Azerbaijan as the National Salvation Day of Azerbaijanis. Heydar Aliyev outlined the main directions of the socio-economic and political development of modern Azerbaijan. He laid the foundations of the foreign policy course that is implemented to this day," the expert said.

© Photo: Maria Novoselova / Vestnik Kavkaza

Heydar Aliyev the creator of modern Azerbaijan

Political scientist Dmitry Solonnikov, in turn, drew attention to Heydar Aliyev’s statesman thinking. "Among the top party leaders of the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Heydar Aliyev occupied a special place as an extremely literate person who consistently defended the unity of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union would probably have had a completely different story, if the soviet leadership considered his opinion. In the conditions of the 1990s half-collapse that took place in the countries of the South Caucasus, Heydar Aliyev managed to stabilize the situation in Azerbaijan and make the republic a center of stability, predictability, and sustainable regional development," the expert recalled.

Heydar Aliyev is the father of the Russian-Azerbaijani alliance

Nubara Kuliyeva said that thanks to Heydar Aliyev the bilateral relations between Russia and Azerbaijan were established. "During the years of Heydar Aliyev's presidency, the foundations of modern Russian-Azerbaijani relations were laid (1993-2003).  After the crisis of the Boris Yeltsin period, the development of bilateral cooperation was progressive. Thus, in 1997, a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Safety was signed between Azerbaijan and Russia. It is the main document that forms the legal basis of bilateral relations. Subsequently, thanks to the high level of political dialogue, established between Heydar Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, bilateral relations acquired a friendly and predictable character," the expert said.

© Photo: Kremlin website 

Dmitry Solonnikov drew attention that before Heydar Aliyev, the Russian-Azerbaijani relations were tense. "Before Heydar Aliyev’s return to power, relations were extremely negative. The leaders of the parties that were in power before Heydar Aliyev were unequivocally anti-Russian. If this had continued, Russia would have had much more difficult relations with the whole South Caucasus. Thus, Azerbaijan's geopolitical situation would be much more difficult," he said.

"Heydar Aliyev’s return to power and redirection of the foreign policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan created the foundation for the current very positive, active, friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. In this regard, Ilham Aliyev continues the course laid by Heydar Aliyev," the political scientist concluded.