Anar Gasanov specially for "Vestnik Kavkaza"
On the eve of the anniversary of the death of the Azerbaijan national leader Heydar Aliyev, a conference titled "Heydar Aliyev - a great friend of Russia" was held in the building of the Moscow Region Office of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress (ARAC) in Domodedovo, initiated and organized by the head of the Moscow regional representation of ARAC Alizaman Rahimov and its Executive Director Araz Mursaliyev.
Prominent statesmen and public figures of Russia, representatives of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the AR, the administration of Domodedovo urban district, members of the Moscow Regional Council of Deputies and the urban district of Domodedovo, most active members of ARAC, who knew Heydar Aliyev personally, shared their memories of the politician of world scale
Opening the event, Deputy of the Board of Deputies of the urban district of Domodedovo, Honored Builder of Russia, the head of the Moscow regional representation of ARAC, Alizaman Rahimov, pointed out that Heydar Aliyev, being the deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, was the initiator and curator of many large-scale projects of the Soviet Union in such cities as Ulyanovsk, Astrakhan, Vologda, Taganrog, and in the republic of Buryatia there are many governmental implemented projects related to the name of Heydar Aliyev.
"For example, the idea of building a large bridge in Ulyanovsk, which was discussed by the leadership of the USSR, had supporters and opponents, was supported by Heydar Aliyev. Owing to this bridge, today Ulyanovsk has become a transport hub between Europe and Asia, which led to a lot of investment in the region," Alizaman Rahimov said. Speaking about the merits of the national leader of Azerbaijan to Russia and the Soviet Union, he recalled the grand building – BAM – much of which was implemented in the years when Aliyev was working at the Council of Ministers of the USSR.
Following the introduction, a video was shown based on the interviews of prominent public figures of Russia about the activity of Heydar Aliyev.
The head of the administration of the urban district of Domodedovo, Dmitry Gorodetsky, drew attention to the fact that Heydar Aliyev had a great management capacity and had invaluable experience of state building. "We very much appreciate the fact that we, together with Azerbaijanis, honor the memory of this great man, who made a huge contribution to the overall development of our once common homeland. It is pleasing that the level predetermined by him is supported now by Azerbaijanis with their constructive work, competent citizens of Russia, engaged in various sectors of the economic and social life of our city. Here in Russia we are stating with great pleasure that the great work of Heydar Aliyev, his immutable course is continued by the present leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who heads a country getting more prosperous with every passing day," Gorodetsky said.
The deputy ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, Qudsi Osmanov, drew attention to the exclusive role of Heydar Aliyev in the consolidation of the Russian Azerbaijanis. Describing Heydar Aliyev as the chief ideologist of the unity of the Azerbaijani people and the founding father of the modern state of Azerbaijan, Qudsi Osmanov said that the national leader always found time to meet with Azerbaijanis living in different countries, learn about their needs and aspirations during his visits and in the framework of his busy schedule. In his opinion, the role of Heydar Aliyev in the consolidation of Azerbaijanis in Russia and the whole world cannot be overestimated.
According Qudsi Osmanov, in the 60s and 70s Heydar Aliyev sent hundreds of Azerbaijanis each year to study in the cities of Russia and the former Soviet republics, who now with their constructive work are forming a positive image of Azerbaijan, making a significant contribution to the further strengthening and development of Azerbaijani-Russian relations. In conclusion, Qudsi Osmanov thanked Alizaman Ragimov and Araz Mursaliyev for organizing such an important event.
An accurate assessment of the role of Heydar Aliyev in the self-organization of Azerbaijanis in Russia came from the the organizer of the evening, executive director of the Moscow Regional Representative of ARAC Araz Mursaliyev. "It is well known that Heydar Aliyev was the founder of the ARAC. In 2000, on his own initiative, prominent compatriots from all over Russia were gathered, who established a monolithic structure, covering more than 80 subjects of the Russian diaspora with the name of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress. In the 14-year history of ARAC it has managed to become an important factor in Russian-Azerbaijani relations, being a bright example of public diplomacy," Araz Mursaliyev said, adding that "Heydar Aliyev is the politician who also supported the consolidation of the Russian community of Azerbaijan and paid attention to the vital functions of the organization."
Memorial evening attendee Igor Prostyakov, who worked as an assistant to many Soviet Prime Ministers, expressed the view that people like Heydar Aliyev are born once in a thousand years. He said that, thanks to Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan was one of the two republics which dated the Soviet Union. "Heydar Aliyev is not just a friend of Russia but a Russian creator, the creator of the entire Soviet Union, of all fifteen republics," Prostyakov concluded.
In his speech the executive director of ARAC, Ilgar Hajiyev, stressed Heydar Aliyev's huge role in the construction of the consolidated Russian Azerbaijani diaspora with emphasis on the priority development of Azerbaijani-Russian relations. He said that in laying the foundation for a unified Azerbaijani organization that would serve as a bridge of friendship between Russia and Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev secured authorship of initiatives on a historical scale that now are embodied in the work of an all-Russian organization of Azerbaijanis on a federal scale, which is ARAC.
Having worked during the Soviet period, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Vladislav Shevtsov, said that Heydar Aliyev had always succored his country in tough times, when Azerbaijan was on the verge of disaster. As he said, despite the blows of fate, Aliyev did not break and by his personal example proved again and again that, having a huge potential for state-building and management, it is possible from a virtually doomed republic to make a truly strong, powerful, prosperous modern state with impressive pace of development.
Impressions about the scale of the personality of Heydar Aliyev as an outstanding statesman and politician were also shared by the former commander of the 35th Army, Colonel-General Ivan Morozov, WWII veteran Ivan Nikonov, supporters of Heydar Aliyev and members of the public.
