Ilham Aliyev: "We must be ready to the armed resolution of the conflict and we are ready for it" - UPDATED

04.03.08

16:31

In the framework of the visit to country's west, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited Hajikend village of Ganja.

The head of state met with refugees from Armenia and internally displaced persons, residing in the settlement and familiarized with their problems.

President's visit to country's west has thus ended.

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14:30

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev currently visiting country's west has familiarized with construction of a medical center in Khanlar.

According to Novosti-Azerbaijan, the foundation of the center was laid in December of 2006.

The center is designed for 80 beds and consists of 7 corpses. The diagnostical department will be equipped with necessary modern facilities and technologies.

The construction of the said medical complex is to finish in 2009.

The project is being implemented by the order of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Health.

President's visit to Khanlar has thus ended.

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12:35

In the near future, Azerbaijan will hold 80% of profit oil, produced from Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field.

According to Novosti-Azerbaijan, the due announcement was made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, addressing the community of Khanlar region Tuesday.

"We have attained achievements, which other countries reach for 50-60 years within a short period of time. Azerbaijan will turn into an irreplaceable energy country", country's President said.

According to him, Azerbaijan has attained this in a complex geopolitical situation in the early 1990s. "The situation was risky at that time. Few risked to invest into Azerbaijan due to hard situation in the region. We have attained it by means of a decisive political will and will of the people", Aliyev noted.

The President is confident that energy policy strengthens Azerbaijan's influence. "We use it successfullt and try to settle existing problems", I.Aliyev announced.

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11:21

"We will not let anyone to present ultimatums to Azerbaijan"

The due announcement was made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, speaking before the community of Khanlar, Tuesday, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

The head of state noted regarding Nagorno Karabakh that Azerbaijan will never give up its principles and positions on Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"Official Baku will never make concessions to the separatist regime of Nagorno Karabakh and will never give up its principles. We are for the peaceful resolution of the problem in the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity with observance of norms and principles of international law. But we should also be ready to the problem settlement by other ways", Aliyev noted.

He said in this issue country's leadership attach special attention to army strengthening. "For this purpose we use all capacities. Strengthening of the army will influence the negotiation process and settlement of the problem", the president said.

I.Aliyev noted that Armenia, the occupant country, is becoming aware that the situation has changed. "The sooner Armenians understand it, the better. We will further develop and strengthen our armed forces", Ilham Aliyev noted.

The head of state presented orders from new flats to the families of martyrs, invalids and veterans of Karabakh war on Tuesday.

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10:51

President of Azerbaijan will take part in the opening ceremony of a new city administration building in Khanlar in the framework of the visit to country's west, according to Novosti-Azerbaijan.

The head of state will also deliver speech before the local community.

After that I.Alitev will visit a number of public and industrial establishments of the region, familiarize with construction of a new central regional hospital and take part in the opening of reconstructed winery.

The head of state will also present orders from new flats to the families of martyrs, disabled and veterans of the Karabakh war.

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03.03.08

18:21

President Ilham Aliyev, visiting country's west, has met a number of industrial and public establishments, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

The president took part in the opening of museum named after Heydar Aliyev and a chess school in the region.

I.Alitev also damiliarized with the activity of the open stock company Az-Rusdostlug, engaged in vegetable production. The president was informed that the hothouse was active in the Soviet times and following the USSR collapse the enterprise fell in depression. Its successful development started later.

The enterprise currently employs about 600 people and there is a plan to raise their number up to 1,000 people in the future.

The President also visited Universal N-A-A. The storage, which is a part of the company, has the biggest fridge cell and storage rooms in the region. The enterprise stores vegetables, fruits, meat and meat products. The productivity of the company is up to 25,000 tons per year.

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17:20

President of Azerbaijan is in Samukh region. Novosti-Azerbaija reports that the head of state visited the complex of martyrs, Heydar Aliyev's park and put a garland to the monument of the national leader of Azerbaijani people.

Then the president met with public representatives of Samukh region. He noted that the aim of the visit to the western region is familiarization with the socioeconomic development of the region, as well as problems, which should be settled.

He said, the development of Samukh region resulting in the creation of job opportunities, commissioning of various establishments has recently been observed and the region is supplied with blue fuel.

The president noted touching upon the success of the implementation of the state program of regions' development that unemployment rate has been reduced to minimum in Azerbaijan, over 600,000 job opportunities were created and this figure will rise in the future.

The President added that inflow of labor migrants will rise in Azerbaijan in the near future and the migration service to undertake registration of foreign citizens has been created for the purpose.

The President noted speaking about the plans for future that the country still has problems with provision of fresh water to the population of regions and villages as well as with the sewage system. "The Oguz-Gabala-Baku water pipe is being laid to ensure fresh water for Baku residents. The problem will be settled in line with special programs in the regions. The problem with fresh water of each village will be settled in the near future", the President said and added that the problem of each region and village will be settled in the framework of a new state program of socioeconomic development of regions.

"On the whole, there are state programs exist for the settlement of country's all problems and we seriously control the implementation of these programs".

Aliyev also noted that Azerbaijan is a leader in the region.

"Azerbaijan has attained this itself, without any support and assistance and world community recognizes it. The world community helps Armenians", he said and added that Azerbaijan has attained it owing to the Azerbaijani people and the state program.

"We want greater development and will work in this direction", he concluded.

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15:00

"As Naftalan is a unique resort city, it will be paid special attention on the government level".

The due announcement was made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, visiting the western region of the country during the meeting with the intelligence of the city on Monday, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

"Naftalan is a unique resort city, therefore, it will be paid attention on the government level. Assets will be allocated from the state budget for the development of recreational centers and sanatoriums, locating in this city. Naftalan will become a resort city, meeting world standards, in the near future", the president said.

He noted that the socioeconomic policy allowed the rapid development of the regions. "This results in opening of new job opportunities, commissioning of social and industrial establishments. This process is also observed in Naftalan".

The President noted regarding the situation in Armenia that unlike it Azerbaijan's economic is growing rapidly. "This resulted in economic and political stability. The current social and political situation in Armenia is critical, as you see. What has caused it? The careless and aggressive policy, self-isolation and activity of the politics led the country to the current situation", the president announced.

Aliyev noted that stability is impossible without development and vise versa. "Unlike Armenia, there is both stability and development in Azerbaijan", the President continued.

The head of state also familiarized with reconstruction works, held in Chinar sanatorium and the Naftalan Recreation Center.

In the framework of the visit to Naftalan, the President took part in the opening ceremony of Heydar Aliyev's in Naftalan, put a garland to the monument of National leader of Azerbaijani people. The head of state also took part in the opening of Heydar Aliyev's museum and familiarized with museum's exposition.

The visit to Naftalan ended and the President left for Samukh.

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13:55

In the framework of the visit to the western region, Ilham Aliyev visited Naftalan.

Novosti-Azerbaijan reports that I.Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of Heydar Aliyev's park in Naftalan, put a garland to the monument of the National Leader of Azerbaijani people. The head of state also took part in the opening of Heydar Aliyev's museum and familiarized with the museum exposition.

In the framework of the visit to Naftalan, Ilham Aliyev also familiarized with the construction of a sanatorium complex.

The President is accompanied by Mehriban Aliyeva, the first lady of the country, Milli Medjlis deputy, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, president of Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

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12:36

Novosti-Azerbaijan reports that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participates in the opening ceremony of Ganjadjixaz, whose construction has taken EUR 4,000,000 of investments.

The said enterprise will produce smart-cards, ordinary gas (240,000 per year) and water meters (250,000 per year). The population will buy these meters from Azerigaz and Azersu. 444 job opportunities have been created in this industrial complex and the average monthly wage of each employee will make up AZN 500.

In the framework of the visit to Ganja, the President has put a garland to the memorial of National Leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, took part in the ceremony of laying the steel complex and aluminum plant DEK-AL, visited the Nizami mausoleum and viewed the Ganja gates.
Ilham Aliyev will also visit Samukh and Naftalan today and Khanlar on March 4.

The visit aims at familiarizing with the implementation of the State Program on Socioeconomic development of regions for 2004-2008.

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12:00

Reduction of Azerbaijani economy's dependence on oil and development of the non-oil sector is a priority trend in Azerbaijan's policy.

The due announcement was made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev speaking following laying foundation of the Steel Complex and aluminum plant DEK-AL.

The President noted that the plants commissioning will lay a foundation for the new stage of the industrial development of the country. "Strong industrial potential will form in Azerbaijan, which will encourage the development of the non-oil sector". "We attach special importance to it and there are favorable conditions in Azerbaijan for the purpose", the head of state said.

He noted that over $1,000,000,000 will be invested into the construction of these plants, equipped with necessary modern facilities and production of the plants will be exported abroad.


"Azerbaijan's investment climate has gained trust of foreign investors, which resulted in signing all documents regarding construction of these plants in Ganja", the head of state continued.

Ilham Aliyev noted that the creation of the investment climate in the country was difficult.

"Few wanted to invest into Azerbaijan 16 years ago. In the result of this purposeful policy, Azerbaijan has demonstrated itself as a reliable partner. If previously investments were made mainly to the oil sector, while now great interest is displayed in the non-oil sector", Aliyev said and added that the policy of improving the investment climate in the country will continue.

The President said $46,000,000,000 have been invested to the economy since 1993 in the result of the conducted work. "The situation is that internal investments exceed external ones and this policy will continue".

The head of state also noted that the plants commissioning will encourage development of small business in Azerbaijan. "For the development of country's infrastructure, the government has allocated $3,500,000,000 this year. Moreover, foreign and local investors also invest into the development of infrastructure".

The President said touching upon the political and public processes in the country that successful policy regarding economic development has created political stability in the country.

He also noted that purposeful policy will be carried out in the future for the development of economic potential of the regions.

The President visited the Nizami Mausoleum, viewed the Ganja gates. The visit to the western region is going on.

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11:47

According to Novosti-Azerbaijan, I.Aliyev took part in the ceremony of laying the Ganja Steel Complex.

The said complex will process ore from the Dashkesan mines. The complex will be constructed by Turkish EKO, investments into the construction will make up $800,000,000 and investment period will cover 2008-2009.

It should be noted that the complex commissioning will allow creation of 1,800 new job opportunities in Ganja and Dashkesan. The complex capacity will make up 1,000,000 tons of steel per year. The production of the enterprise will be used in the oil ecoomic sector, the steel, produced at the enterprise will be used for production of high quality pipes, and building materials, fittings and others. The complex commissioning will create good conditions for steel exportation.

President of Azerbaijan also took part in the laying of DEK-AL aluminum plant. The enterprise capacity will make up 100,000 tons of aluminum per year. The enterprise is constructed by Chinese SMEC and engineering GAMI, which is one of the leaders in aluminum sphere.

The enterprise commissioning will help raise production volumes in the country from 60,000 up to 160,000 tons of aluminum per year. Investments into DEK-AL construction will make up $230,000,000 and the investment term covers 2008-2009.

/APA/