Heydar Aliyev: formula of successVictoria Panfilova, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta"http://www.vestikavkaza.ru/articles/Formula-uspekha-Geydara-Alieva-1.htmlIf it had not been for Heydar Aliyev, there would be no modern Azerbaijan. Nobody inside the country, nor outside it, would contest this truth. The role and importance of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, one of the most respected politicians of the Turkic world, are so great that his way of life, philosophy of governance, competence and influence, will be studied for a long time by historians and biographers. The experience of Heydar Aliyev has not lost its value in modern Azerbaijan; on the contrary, over the years it becomes even more relevant and meaningful.Most accurately, its activity is expressed by the word "modernization". It was after Heydar Aliyev became the leader of Azerbaijan in the Soviet period that the process of deep modernization began in the country, which until then had been a provincial resource on the outskirts of the Soviet empire. Working in the Soviet government, the Azerbaijani leader was perhaps the most active supporter of reform and demanded the change of the USSR. However many of his proposals, which could perhaps have saved the superpower and brought it to a new stage of development, remained unrealized. The reckless steps and reforms of the new Soviet leadership determined the collapse of the country. Aliyev left the Kremlin just before the impending catastrophe. But let's discuss everything in order.Heydar Aliyev was born on 10 May 1923 in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Azerbaijan SSR, into a family of ordinary working people. Heydar's childhood passed in the old quarter of Nakhchivan. Having successfully finished school, Heydar Aliyev arrived at the Nakhchivan Pedagogical College. After graduating in 1939, Heydar Aliyev went to the architectural department of the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute. But the beginning of the war did not allow him to complete his education. From 1941 Heydar Aliyev headed a department at the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Nakhchivan ASSR and the Council of People's Commissars of the Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic.In 1944, Aliyev was sent to the public security organs, and in 23 years went from an ordinary employee to Major-General, the Chairman of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR. Along the way, in 1949, he graduated from the Leningrad KGB Academy. But this became known only in 2001, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Baku and gave Heydar Aliyev his diploma - for some reason Aliyev had no chance to get it in the past. In 1957 he graduated from the history department of Azerbaijan State University.In 1969, Heydar Aliyev headed the republic - then the post was called "the first secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan." Today we would say that Aliyev was appointed the top crisis manager with a huge amount of power. He coped with the task brilliantly. The oil industry was completely renovated and modernized, a high-tech aluminium production in Ganja, a hydroelectric power station on the Araks River, a textile mill in Nakhchivan were constucted. The list of running businesses is long.Strictly adhering to the rules of socialist government, Heydar Aliyev managed to make the most of his opportunities. Later, Aliyev said, not hiding his pride and satisfaction: "That system also had its advantages. Using its features, I sought the development of Azerbaijan. For example, from 1970 until 1980, I raised the production of grapes 10 times, from 200 thousand tons to 2 million tons annually. Due to this, Azerbaijan, of course, became wealthier. "However, the anti-alcohol campaign of Gorbachev in the future negated Aliyev's titanic work in this industry - even he could not protect the vineyards from destruction according to the ridiculous orders from Moscow. In addition to vineyards, cotton growing successfully developed and Azerbaijani fruit and vegetables were sold all over the Soviet Union.The decade that Heydar Aliyev was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, or in fact the leader of the nation, was appreciated — he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. Over these 10 years the industrial potential of Azerbaijan more than doubled. The appearance of towns and villages changed beyond recognition. Of the 15 union republics, only Russia and Azerbaijan managed without subsidies from the budget of the USSR. Later, President Aliyev thanked fate for this time: "Those were the best years ... Sometimes, even after coming from work, I did not go home, but thought about the new plans for the advancement of our country. I thought about how to use the opportunities presented by my position, to make useful things for my people." The years when Azerbaijan was led by Heydar Aliyev became a period of construction and building, 313 industrial enterprises were commissioned then. For this success in the development of various sectors of economy, Azerbaijan was the winner of the USSR socialist competition 12 times in a row. Heydar Aliyev met with many intellectuals, introduced the tradition of celebrating anniversaries of science and art, initiated the restoration of numerous monuments. On his initiative, in the 1978 Constitution the Azerbaijani language became a state language.Being the head of Soviet Azerbaijan became a springboard to the Kremlin: from November 1982 to October 1987, Heydar Aliyev was the first deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers. In December 1982, he was elected a member of the Politburo. From that moment a new round of his activities in the higher echelons of power began. For many, Heydar Aliyev became a symbol of self-made success. And he left an important historical legacy in Moscow.As a member of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Aliyev supervised the Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Culture, radio and television, health and education, engineering, trade, light industry, all kinds of transport and communications. On his initiative, the first comprehensive diagnostic centers were created. Thanks to his support, Soviet surgeons were allowed to conduct the first open-heart surgery. Aliyev contributed to the opening of the Center of Eye Microsurgery and lobbied for the creation of a mobile laboratory on a river boat, cruising along the Volga.He oversaw one of the ambitious projects of the twentieth century - the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) and the whole complex, including infrastructure. The book "Going Forward", dedicated to Heydar Aliyev, noted that it not only testified to his managerial talents, but also put him in the cohort of global managers. In July 2008, one of the largest stations in the BAM was named after Heydar Aliyev.However, not many people know that it was at the peak of his popularity that he started having trouble. The reason was a report that contained thoughts that were the basis of the initial period of adjustment. As rightly noted in the aforementioned book, "Going Forward" (by the way, this is the translation of the name Heydar), it provoked the jealousy of Mikhail Gorbachev and caused the resignation of Aliyev. In an interview to the Washington Post, Aliyev said: "In the last period of work I felt the insincere attitude of Gorbachev towards me. This was manifested in many ways. I worked honestly and did not see any flaws in my work, but Gorbachev was captured by his feelings, that's all ... "Meanwhile, Azerbaijan was going through extremely controversial events. In the winter of 1990 Soviet troops arrived in Baku. The very next day in the Moscow office of the Azerbaijan SSR Heydar Aliyev condemned the deployment of troops in Baku, demanding punishment of the organizers and executors of the crime committed against the Azerbaijani people. Then he actually declared himself a supporter of the independence of Azerbaijan. In June of the same year, Aliyev returned home and lived at first in Baku, then in Nakhchivan, was elected to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan. In 1991-1993, he served as chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Heydar Aliyev took all the necessary measures to restore the destroyed economy of the autonomous republic and establish normal living. He summed up the results of this activity in an interview: "Without exaggerating, I can say that I am very proud of the fact that in that period I saved Nakhchivan from war." During his three years as the leader of Nakhchivan, Aliyev transformed it into an island of stability and a base for construction of the new Azerbaijani state.It is worth recalling that, one month before the change of power in Moscow, Heydar Aliyev took another decisive step – he left the CPSU. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Popular Front came to power in Azerbaijan. The country was on the verge of civil war as a result of the governmental crisis. In the summer of 1993 the Azerbaijani people insisted that Heydar Aliyev return to Baku. On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. People greeted the return of Heydar Aliyev with hope and joy, and this day went down in the history of independent Azerbaijan as the Day of National Salvation. From 24 July 1993, according to the decision of Parliament, Heydar Aliyev exercised the powers of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. First, he signed a decree on the accession of the Republic to the CIS, which led to the restoration of the lost ties with Russia. On September 24 Aliyev signed the Alma-Ata Declaration, and the statute of the CIS Collective Security Treaty. And the next day he met with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the President of Armenia, with which Azerbaijan was at war. His task was to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. In future, the struggle for a just solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the most important area of foreign policy of Heydar Aliyev. The President was the author of a number of initiatives for the peaceful resolution of this issue. He achieved a ceasefire, and on 12 May 1994 in Bishkek the protocol was signed. The conflict resolution process has gone through several stages, but it is still impossible to talk about its resolution.On October 3, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and on October 11, 1998, gaining 76.1 percent, he was re-elected as the head of state. Heydar Aliyev received many international awards, the title of honorary doctor of numerous countries, and other high honors, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Star, Hero of Socialist Labor.The merit of Heydar Aliyev is not only the fact that he came to power and achieved political stability in Azerbaijan, but also the fact that he laid the foundations of economic independence. The anti-crisis program was designed to restore production, improve the financial situation and investment. The President initiated the development of a new constitution. "We need to develop and adopt such a Constitution that it becomes a historical document, the Basic Law, providing a long period of stable existence of Azerbaijan based on democratic principles," Aliyev said.This Constitution was adopted in November 1995. As Aliyev noted, "observing the Constitution, our people confirm the independence of the Azerbaijan Republic. Our responsibility is the effective use of the guarantees and the legislative framework in the Constitution, and to build a legal, democratic state, to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens of our country."President Aliyev held a balanced foreign policy. Largely due to his policy the oil "Contract of the Century" was signed on favorable terms for Azerbaijan. The negotiations were long and difficult. The situation was aggravated by several attempts by armed rebellions to put pressure on Baku to change the oil policy. But Heydar Aliyev managed to defend the interests of the motherland. When signing the agreement, he did not hide his joy and confidence that future generations would appreciate the historic event. By the way, the "Contract of the Century" included 13 companies from eight countries.Concluding the "Contract of the Century" meant not only direct economic benefits to Azerbaijan. Due to reasonable actions and the country's leadership, a multiplier effect was achieved: it increased the the geopolitical influence of the country, it laid the foundationso for the social welfare of the people, it gave new impetus to petroleum engineering and petrochemicals. Billions of dollars that came to the economy played a role in the transition to a market economy, and the resulting profit allowed new technologies to be introduced in many areas of industry. That's when Heydar Aliyev started to work on the restructuring of Baku, which is now a city admired by all who have been there. And the reconstruction of the capital continues.The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects are also linked to the name of Aliyev. Thanks to the arrival of international players in the country's energy sector, Azerbaijan has managed to create a situation where its partners - both Russia and the West – depend on its decisions. This multi-vector policy of Heydar Aliyev was subsequently supported and successfully continued by his son Ilham, and today Azerbaijan has become one of Europe's energy suppliers.Aliyev can also be given credit for the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, with the final output through Istanbul to Europe. Further binding the line to the Asian railway network will deliver goods directly from the Far East to Western Europe. "Azerbaijan is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is trying to build a good relationship with Europe and Asia ... Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the establishment of closer relations with neighboring countries," Heydar Aliyev wrote. As a result, Azerbaijan, using its geo-strategic, economic and cultural potential, began to play the role of a reliable bridge between East and West, has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world.Heydar Aliyev had huge diplomatic and practical experience from the Soviet state. As the head of an independent state, he communicated on an equal footing with the leaders of the US, European and Asian countries. And he established connections used for the benefit of Azerbaijan.When he returned to power, Heydar Aliyev took a number of decisive steps to normalize relations with Russia. A shadow over relations was connected to the conflicts in Chechnya and Karabakh, the Russian position on the Caspian Sea and the "Contract of the Century." Many Russian and Azerbaijani political scientists link improvement of relations between Baku and Moscow with Vladimir Putin coming to power. The first official visit of the Russian President to Baku in 2001 brought the relationship to a new level. Summing up the results of Putin's visit, Heydar Aliyev then said: "Russia occupies a very good place in my heart. I feel that I still remain in Russia, and it will forever remain in my heart.""I have always been proud and proud today that I am Azerbaijani." These words of Heydar Aliyev have successfully passed the test of time, the same as his wise policy. Heydar Aliyev, along with the creation of a strong policy on the statehood, political and economic foundations of Azerbaijan, is the founder of the idea which became the foundation of national revival and development of the Azerbaijani ideology. Heydar Aliyev established the secular foundations of the country.At present, Azerbaijan is one of the states that, by conducting a purely secular policy, opposes the extremist tendencies that are gaining strength in the Middle East. Today Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues the policy of Heydar Aliyev. The prestige of Azerbaijan is growing steadily, improving the welfare of the people. The crucial role of Heydar Aliyev is highly appreciated not only in his native Azerbaijan. Many prominent figures of our time spoke of him with high respect.For many years the activity of Heydar Aliyev was associated with the common history of our peoples. He laid the foundations for strategic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.Vladimir Putin - President of the Russian FederationHeydar Aliyev has a place in Turkish and world history through his selfless service for the happiness and prosperity of Azerbaijan and peace in the region and the world at large.Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Prime Minister of the Republic of TurkeyThe merits of Heydar Aliyev in strengthening the ties between our countries and development of Azerbaijan are invaluable. I remember very well our meeting in July 1998 during his visit to the United Kingdom.Queen ElizabethThere are people about whom one can say without exaggeration that they make history. Heydar Aliyev was such a man.Yevgeny Primakov - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Russian FederationThis extraordinary personality led Azerbaijan to prosperity. During our meetings, especially during the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, I highly appreciate his heroism, wisdom and determination to resolve the conflict peacefully.Jacques Chirac - President of the French Republic
Victoria Panfilova, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta"
If it had not been for Heydar Aliyev, there would be no modern Azerbaijan. Nobody inside the country, nor outside it, would contest this truth. The role and importance of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, one of the most respected politicians of the Turkic world, are so great that his way of life, philosophy of governance, competence and influence, will be studied for a long time by historians and biographers. The experience of Heydar Aliyev has not lost its value in modern Azerbaijan; on the contrary, over the years it becomes even more relevant and meaningful.
Most accurately, its activity is expressed by the word "modernization". It was after Heydar Aliyev became the leader of Azerbaijan in the Soviet period that the process of deep modernization began in the country, which until then had been a provincial resource on the outskirts of the Soviet empire. Working in the Soviet government, the Azerbaijani leader was perhaps the most active supporter of reform and demanded the change of the USSR. However many of his proposals, which could perhaps have saved the superpower and brought it to a new stage of development, remained unrealized. The reckless steps and reforms of the new Soviet leadership determined the collapse of the country. Aliyev left the Kremlin just before the impending catastrophe. But let's discuss everything in order.
Heydar Aliyev was born on 10 May 1923 in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Azerbaijan SSR, into a family of ordinary working people. Heydar's childhood passed in the old quarter of Nakhchivan. Having successfully finished school, Heydar Aliyev arrived at the Nakhchivan Pedagogical College. After graduating in 1939, Heydar Aliyev went to the architectural department of the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute. But the beginning of the war did not allow him to complete his education. From 1941 Heydar Aliyev headed a department at the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Nakhchivan ASSR and the Council of People's Commissars of the Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic.
In 1944, Aliyev was sent to the public security organs, and in 23 years went from an ordinary employee to Major-General, the Chairman of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR. Along the way, in 1949, he graduated from the Leningrad KGB Academy. But this became known only in 2001, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Baku and gave Heydar Aliyev his diploma - for some reason Aliyev had no chance to get it in the past. In 1957 he graduated from the history department of Azerbaijan State University.
In 1969, Heydar Aliyev headed the republic - then the post was called "the first secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan." Today we would say that Aliyev was appointed the top crisis manager with a huge amount of power. He coped with the task brilliantly. The oil industry was completely renovated and modernized, a high-tech aluminium production in Ganja, a hydroelectric power station on the Araks River, a textile mill in Nakhchivan were constucted. The list of running businesses is long.
Strictly adhering to the rules of socialist government, Heydar Aliyev managed to make the most of his opportunities. Later, Aliyev said, not hiding his pride and satisfaction: "That system also had its advantages. Using its features, I sought the development of Azerbaijan. For example, from 1970 until 1980, I raised the production of grapes 10 times, from 200 thousand tons to 2 million tons annually. Due to this, Azerbaijan, of course, became wealthier. "However, the anti-alcohol campaign of Gorbachev in the future negated Aliyev's titanic work in this industry - even he could not protect the vineyards from destruction according to the ridiculous orders from Moscow. In addition to vineyards, cotton growing successfully developed and Azerbaijani fruit and vegetables were sold all over the Soviet Union.
The decade that Heydar Aliyev was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, or in fact the leader of the nation, was appreciated — he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. Over these 10 years the industrial potential of Azerbaijan more than doubled. The appearance of towns and villages changed beyond recognition. Of the 15 union republics, only Russia and Azerbaijan managed without subsidies from the budget of the USSR. Later, President Aliyev thanked fate for this time: "Those were the best years ... Sometimes, even after coming from work, I did not go home, but thought about the new plans for the advancement of our country. I thought about how to use the opportunities presented by my position, to make useful things for my people." The years when Azerbaijan was led by Heydar Aliyev became a period of construction and building, 313 industrial enterprises were commissioned then. For this success in the development of various sectors of economy, Azerbaijan was the winner of the USSR socialist competition 12 times in a row. Heydar Aliyev met with many intellectuals, introduced the tradition of celebrating anniversaries of science and art, initiated the restoration of numerous monuments. On his initiative, in the 1978 Constitution the Azerbaijani language became a state language.
Being the head of Soviet Azerbaijan became a springboard to the Kremlin: from November 1982 to October 1987, Heydar Aliyev was the first deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers. In December 1982, he was elected a member of the Politburo. From that moment a new round of his activities in the higher echelons of power began. For many, Heydar Aliyev became a symbol of self-made success. And he left an important historical legacy in Moscow.
As a member of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Aliyev supervised the Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Culture, radio and television, health and education, engineering, trade, light industry, all kinds of transport and communications. On his initiative, the first comprehensive diagnostic centers were created. Thanks to his support, Soviet surgeons were allowed to conduct the first open-heart surgery. Aliyev contributed to the opening of the Center of Eye Microsurgery and lobbied for the creation of a mobile laboratory on a river boat, cruising along the Volga.
He oversaw one of the ambitious projects of the twentieth century - the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) and the whole complex, including infrastructure. The book "Going Forward", dedicated to Heydar Aliyev, noted that it not only testified to his managerial talents, but also put him in the cohort of global managers. In July 2008, one of the largest stations in the BAM was named after Heydar Aliyev.
However, not many people know that it was at the peak of his popularity that he started having trouble. The reason was a report that contained thoughts that were the basis of the initial period of adjustment. As rightly noted in the aforementioned book, "Going Forward" (by the way, this is the translation of the name Heydar), it provoked the jealousy of Mikhail Gorbachev and caused the resignation of Aliyev. In an interview to the Washington Post, Aliyev said: "In the last period of work I felt the insincere attitude of Gorbachev towards me. This was manifested in many ways. I worked honestly and did not see any flaws in my work, but Gorbachev was captured by his feelings, that's all ... "
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan was going through extremely controversial events. In the winter of 1990 Soviet troops arrived in Baku. The very next day in the Moscow office of the Azerbaijan SSR Heydar Aliyev condemned the deployment of troops in Baku, demanding punishment of the organizers and executors of the crime committed against the Azerbaijani people. Then he actually declared himself a supporter of the independence of Azerbaijan. In June of the same year, Aliyev returned home and lived at first in Baku, then in Nakhchivan, was elected to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan. In 1991-1993, he served as chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Heydar Aliyev took all the necessary measures to restore the destroyed economy of the autonomous republic and establish normal living. He summed up the results of this activity in an interview: "Without exaggerating, I can say that I am very proud of the fact that in that period I saved Nakhchivan from war." During his three years as the leader of Nakhchivan, Aliyev transformed it into an island of stability and a base for construction of the new Azerbaijani state.
It is worth recalling that, one month before the change of power in Moscow, Heydar Aliyev took another decisive step – he left the CPSU. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Popular Front came to power in Azerbaijan. The country was on the verge of civil war as a result of the governmental crisis. In the summer of 1993 the Azerbaijani people insisted that Heydar Aliyev return to Baku. On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. People greeted the return of Heydar Aliyev with hope and joy, and this day went down in the history of independent Azerbaijan as the Day of National Salvation. From 24 July 1993, according to the decision of Parliament, Heydar Aliyev exercised the powers of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. First, he signed a decree on the accession of the Republic to the CIS, which led to the restoration of the lost ties with Russia. On September 24 Aliyev signed the Alma-Ata Declaration, and the statute of the CIS Collective Security Treaty. And the next day he met with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the President of Armenia, with which Azerbaijan was at war. His task was to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. In future, the struggle for a just solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the most important area of foreign policy of Heydar Aliyev. The President was the author of a number of initiatives for the peaceful resolution of this issue. He achieved a ceasefire, and on 12 May 1994 in Bishkek the protocol was signed. The conflict resolution process has gone through several stages, but it is still impossible to talk about its resolution.
On October 3, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and on October 11, 1998, gaining 76.1 percent, he was re-elected as the head of state. Heydar Aliyev received many international awards, the title of honorary doctor of numerous countries, and other high honors, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Star, Hero of Socialist Labor.
The merit of Heydar Aliyev is not only the fact that he came to power and achieved political stability in Azerbaijan, but also the fact that he laid the foundations of economic independence. The anti-crisis program was designed to restore production, improve the financial situation and investment. The President initiated the development of a new constitution. "We need to develop and adopt such a Constitution that it becomes a historical document, the Basic Law, providing a long period of stable existence of Azerbaijan based on democratic principles," Aliyev said.
This Constitution was adopted in November 1995. As Aliyev noted, "observing the Constitution, our people confirm the independence of the Azerbaijan Republic. Our responsibility is the effective use of the guarantees and the legislative framework in the Constitution, and to build a legal, democratic state, to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens of our country."
President Aliyev held a balanced foreign policy. Largely due to his policy the oil "Contract of the Century" was signed on favorable terms for Azerbaijan. The negotiations were long and difficult. The situation was aggravated by several attempts by armed rebellions to put pressure on Baku to change the oil policy. But Heydar Aliyev managed to defend the interests of the motherland. When signing the agreement, he did not hide his joy and confidence that future generations would appreciate the historic event. By the way, the "Contract of the Century" included 13 companies from eight countries.
Concluding the "Contract of the Century" meant not only direct economic benefits to Azerbaijan. Due to reasonable actions and the country's leadership, a multiplier effect was achieved: it increased the the geopolitical influence of the country, it laid the foundationso for the social welfare of the people, it gave new impetus to petroleum engineering and petrochemicals. Billions of dollars that came to the economy played a role in the transition to a market economy, and the resulting profit allowed new technologies to be introduced in many areas of industry. That's when Heydar Aliyev started to work on the restructuring of Baku, which is now a city admired by all who have been there. And the reconstruction of the capital continues.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects are also linked to the name of Aliyev. Thanks to the arrival of international players in the country's energy sector, Azerbaijan has managed to create a situation where its partners - both Russia and the West – depend on its decisions. This multi-vector policy of Heydar Aliyev was subsequently supported and successfully continued by his son Ilham, and today Azerbaijan has become one of Europe's energy suppliers.
Aliyev can also be given credit for the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, with the final output through Istanbul to Europe. Further binding the line to the Asian railway network will deliver goods directly from the Far East to Western Europe. "Azerbaijan is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is trying to build a good relationship with Europe and Asia ... Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the establishment of closer relations with neighboring countries," Heydar Aliyev wrote. As a result, Azerbaijan, using its geo-strategic, economic and cultural potential, began to play the role of a reliable bridge between East and West, has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world.
Heydar Aliyev had huge diplomatic and practical experience from the Soviet state. As the head of an independent state, he communicated on an equal footing with the leaders of the US, European and Asian countries. And he established connections used for the benefit of Azerbaijan.
When he returned to power, Heydar Aliyev took a number of decisive steps to normalize relations with Russia. A shadow over relations was connected to the conflicts in Chechnya and Karabakh, the Russian position on the Caspian Sea and the "Contract of the Century." Many Russian and Azerbaijani political scientists link improvement of relations between Baku and Moscow with Vladimir Putin coming to power. The first official visit of the Russian President to Baku in 2001 brought the relationship to a new level. Summing up the results of Putin's visit, Heydar Aliyev then said: "Russia occupies a very good place in my heart. I feel that I still remain in Russia, and it will forever remain in my heart."
"I have always been proud and proud today that I am Azerbaijani." These words of Heydar Aliyev have successfully passed the test of time, the same as his wise policy. Heydar Aliyev, along with the creation of a strong policy on the statehood, political and economic foundations of Azerbaijan, is the founder of the idea which became the foundation of national revival and development of the Azerbaijani ideology. Heydar Aliyev established the secular foundations of the country.
At present, Azerbaijan is one of the states that, by conducting a purely secular policy, opposes the extremist tendencies that are gaining strength in the Middle East. Today Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues the policy of Heydar Aliyev. The prestige of Azerbaijan is growing steadily, improving the welfare of the people. The crucial role of Heydar Aliyev is highly appreciated not only in his native Azerbaijan. Many prominent figures of our time spoke of him with high respect.
For many years the activity of Heydar Aliyev was associated with the common history of our peoples. He laid the foundations for strategic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.
Vladimir Putin - President of the Russian Federation
Heydar Aliyev has a place in Turkish and world history through his selfless service for the happiness and prosperity of Azerbaijan and peace in the region and the world at large.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
The merits of Heydar Aliyev in strengthening the ties between our countries and development of Azerbaijan are invaluable. I remember very well our meeting in July 1998 during his visit to the United Kingdom.
Queen Elizabeth
There are people about whom one can say without exaggeration that they make history. Heydar Aliyev was such a man.
Yevgeny Primakov - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Russian Federation
This extraordinary personality led Azerbaijan to prosperity. During our meetings, especially during the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, I highly appreciate his heroism, wisdom and determination to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Jacques Chirac - President of the French Republic
