Opening speech by Ilham Aliyev at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development in the first half of 2015 and objectives for the future

- Today, according to the tradition, we will discuss the results of the first six months of the year. I want to say at once that the results are very positive. Azerbaijan is developing successfully. The development is dynamic, and I can say that we have achieved historic success in six months. Today we are witnessing some very unpleasant processes in various parts of the world. The situation in the Middle East has escalated to the maximum extent possible. Bloody clashes show no sign of abating, there is bloodshed, new hotbeds of war are springing up. Europe is in a deep economic crisis and has yet to find a way out of it. In addition, we are also seeing the manifestations of a spiritual crisis, and we are very worried about that.

Azerbaijan has been making efforts for many years to ensure that the region is dominated by the values of multiculturalism, to increase the trends of peace, tranquility and good neighborliness in the region. As you may know, Azerbaijan has taken very important steps in this direction, both in the country proper and in the international arena. However, at the same time, in some European countries we see a completely different picture, and that worries us.

The spiritual and economic crises have already become a reality in Europe, which, of course, gives us food for thought, and we will definitely take these factors into account in our future work. To what extent should Azerbaijan integrate into European structures? Should we integrate or not? Or should we give preference to the format of cooperation? I personally have been thinking about it for some time and I think that in the coming months it is necessary to prepare a new mechanism, a new format and concept of cooperation.

In fact, we have taken important steps in this area. As you know, Azerbaijan did not join the Association Agreement with the European Union because this agreement is not in our interests. It simply offered a mechanism that didn’t look like bilateral but rather like unilateral cooperation. This agreement was like a list of instructions to us. This, of course, is not suitable for us, because Azerbaijan is establishing equitable relations with all countries and international organizations, and we will continue to work on the basis of this principle.

There were also other things that did not suit us. Therefore, we have submitted proposals for cooperation to the European Union. This could be a partnership agreement, a strategic partnership agreement, or just an agreement on cooperation or partnership. But this should envisage equality, and the national interests of Azerbaijan in this agreement should be provided to the maximum extent. Our values, of course, are of top priority for us.

I believe that today, in the modern world, we need to talk more about spiritual values, because the crisis experienced in the Middle East, Europe and the CIS emerged also because of spiritual values. Conflicts often arise for this reason. Therefore, we in Azerbaijan have carefully analyzed all these issues and will choose the most suitable and viable option for our country and our people.

As you can see, the situation in the CIS is not very reassuring. Many countries can’t cope with the crisis. The crisis in Ukraine is ongoing. Armenia has practically fallen apart, its economy has collapsed. The criminal dictatorial regime in Armenia has suppressed its own people so badly that people can no longer stand it. I should also note that the Armenian junta is growing richer at people’s expense. Perhaps many people do not know that, but Armenia is a country receiving gas from abroad possibly at the lowest price in the world. And it sells it to its own people at exorbitant prices. The same applies to electricity and fuel. So this criminal regime sucks the blood of its own people. The people, of course, can’t tolerate that.

Such is the picture. The crisis in Greece is still ongoing. No result has been reached yet. Of course, we know that Greece has committed certain mistakes by borrowing excessively. The reason for that probably lies in the fact that politicians did not treat their jobs very responsibly. I have always said this and want to say again today that Azerbaijan’s external public debt should be at the minimum level. Currently it is in the range of 10-11 per cent. We need to reduce it further. We can borrow too, but we don’t need that. This may create problems for us in the future.

Therefore, the situation with Greece was, of course, caused by this. In addition, we see that some European countries, especially those seeking to secure a special status for themselves, simply humiliate Greece. They humiliate the nation and the state. These are today's realities.

Sometimes I hear from government officials, MPs and public figures that we should integrate into Europe. Just think about what you are saying. First of all, you should know the position of the President. Secondly, how exactly are you going to integrate? Do you need this integration or not? In what capacity do they want to admit Azerbaijan - as a secondary member, an associate member or just an appendage. This format is unacceptable. We have integrated wherever necessary. We did this when the situation in Europe was different. I think that if we had to make a choice based on the existing situation, we may not be interested in joining the Council of Europe. How much can they try to offend Azerbaijan? How much can they attempt to humiliate us? Our patience is full. We are perfectly able to live without the Council of Europe, and we did. We lived like that until 2001. At that time, there was civil war, Armenian occupation, political crisis, economic recession. We lived like that and did not die.

We joined it primarily to resolve the Karabakh problem. This was the question. We knew that Armenia was eager to join the Council of Europe. We also wanted to be there so that the issue could be resolved fairly. But what are we seeing: injustice, double standards, Islamophobia, envy, hostility. Recently, during the European Games, they adopted a resolution. The resolution proposed by rapporteurs stated: the assembly considers that Azerbaijani lands are under occupation. They changed the sentence and wrote: the assembly takes into account the existence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What does this mean?! This is an outright anti-Azerbaijani position. Therefore, I want to return to this topic once again. We are not integrating anywhere. Wherever we are integrated, that is enough. If necessary, we will join other unions, but as an equal partner, as a decent country.

Against this backdrop, our successes are truly historic. Over the course of six months, our economy developed even though oil prices have been at a low level. Even though the economic situation around us has not particularly changed for the better, the Azerbaijani economy is developing. The figures I will cite confirm this and prove that it is a truly historic achievement. Thus, in six months the economy grew by 5.7 per cent. This is an excellent indicator, which confirms the dynamic development of our country. The figure showing the development of the non-oil sector is even more beautiful. Here too, we see an increase of 9.2 per cent. In other words, the situation doesn’t get a lot better than this. Industrial production has increased by 4 per cent. The non-oil industry grew by more than 14 per cent. This is the result of the work done in recent years, industrialization and creation of new industrial estates.

Inflation in Azerbaijan is low – 3.5 per cent. Population incomes, according to tradition, have been ahead of inflation and rose by 6.2 per cent. Agriculture grew by more than 7 per cent – by 7.3 per cent, to be precise. This is the highest growth rate in recent years, and it was made possible thanks to the work done.

Over the course of six months, a total of 12.7 billion manats was invested in our country. This is also a very high figure. As a matter of fact, the first six months have been dominated by foreign investment. Domestic investment prevailed in recent years, while the first six months of this year have been dominated by foreign investment. This is also a positive development, as it indicates that Azerbaijan is a very attractive country for investment and that foreign investment is protected at the proper level.

In the first six months, about 60,000 jobs were created in the country, of which 48,000 are permanent. But while referring to this statistics, we should not forget about the closed jobs. I am aware that some jobs have been closed. Therefore, it is first necessary to examine the reasons for that. On the other hand, this statistics should be submitted together with the statistics for created jobs, so that we could analyze the situation correctly. In fact, this situation is observed in any country. Jobs are opened and closed. The main issue is the balance: how many have been created and how many have been closed.

In general, 1.4 million jobs, including a million permanent ones, have been created in Azerbaijan in the last 12 years. As a result of that, unemployment in Azerbaijan was at the level of 5 per cent last year. All influential international financial institutions acknowledge the fight against unemployment and poverty in Azerbaijan. We and the people of Azerbaijan see this in our everyday life. I believe that the creation of jobs should be an ongoing process, because the population increases and the potential is high enough.

All programs in the social sphere are being implemented despite the fact that our revenues have declined, which is natural. While adopting the state budget, we counted on the price of oil of $90, but it is $60 now. A few months ago, it was even lower – less than $50. But all our social programs are being implemented in a timely manner, and this is a sign of our policy. Citizens of Azerbaijan are at the heart of our policy, and no social program will ever be curtailed. On the contrary, we are thinking of new initiatives.

Very positive changes have taken place in the program of targeted social assistance. There is transparency, normal order, negative phenomena are prevented and there is a serious fight against corruption. This is why there is a sound environment in this area. I am also very pleased with the information coming from the ground. People also see these positive changes.

Thus, according to my information, the number of people receiving targeted social aid has decreased by about 20 per cent. How? Not because someone's benefits were reduced, but because those who do not need help do not receive it any longer. This aid is provided to 112,000 families, 490,000 people, and each family gets a monthly average of about 150 manats. This is our social policy and our approach.

A social infrastructure is being created. Schools and hospitals are built. Currently, more than 20 schools and 30 health facilities are under construction. So this process is already under way. We can say that we have managed to create a radical change in this area. In the coming years, we should try not to leave a single non-renovated school, so that people everywhere, in every village, could enjoy normal health services.

Such is the social and economic situation. This shows once again that Azerbaijan can develop rapidly even in the crisis years because we have a thought-out policy. Our programs are based on reality. There are specific action plans for each area – regional development, elimination of unemployment, industrialization, agricultural development. I can say that this year we took very important steps for the development of agriculture, signed several decrees to facilitate the development of agriculture. For example, grain yield has significantly increased – by nearly 20 per cent. Whereas we got 22 quintals per hectare earlier, now, I am told, we have received 30 quintals. With the support of the state, large farms are created, land reclamation measures are taken, all agro-technical measures are in place. A restructuring process is under way and transparency is provided. Of course, even more serious work will be done in the future in order to increase productivity, so that we could make the most of our land fund. I will express my thoughts on the matter a little later.

Army building is a permanent priority for us, and this year we commissioned one of the largest military installations on the Caspian coast in Azerbaijan. A naval base has been established. We are taking all other necessary measures, the construction and repair of military camps and bases is under way, excellent conditions are created for soldiers and officers. Of course, the focus is always on weaponry, ammunition, as well as material and technical infrastructure. We are purchasing the latest weaponry, hardware, and today the Azerbaijani army, as I said, it is one of the strongest armies in the world.

The current international situation shows once again that we have taken the right steps because, as we can see, international law is not working. Might is right, and this is a reality. This is an unpleasant reality, but we live in a real, not a virtual world. Therefore, military might will be a factor securing the interests of any country in the future. It turns out that international law is only there for small countries. The rules of international conduct are changed, everyone interprets international law as he pleases. As a result, we see that the factor of force can resolve many problems. We must be prepared for that, and we are. Therefore, army building, the strengthening of military capabilities will be our number one priority in the future. If we consider that we live in a time of war, we should, of course, pay more attention to that.

There is no progress in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia simply boycotts the negotiations and tries to drag out the issue. But the larger the issue is delayed, the more Armenia is exposed to recession. As I said, the country is in deep political, moral, psychological and financial crisis. There are no resources for the development of the country. The economy has collapsed, the industry has collapsed, people are leaving the country, i.e. there are no human resources. If it goes on like this, Armenia as a country will disappear from the world map in the future. If this happens, the blame will fall only on the present criminal dictatorship.

We are getting stronger, taking his measures to increase the economic, political and military power. Of course, Armenia and Azerbaijan are at incomparable levels. Due to external financial, military and political support, Armenia is keeping our lands under occupation. I have already told this audience that our land is occupied not only by Armenia. Our lands occupied by Armenia's backers, pro-Armenian politicians, anti-Azerbaijani and Islamophobic forces. Can Armenia occupy our lands? We will not leave a stone unturned there in a matter of a week. And this is a reality. I repeat that we live in a real world, take our own measures, and there will come a time when Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. Meanwhile, we are doing all preparatory work in this direction.

Our policy is based on the interests of Azerbaijan. No foreign force can affect our policy. I must also say – and the Azerbaijani people know it – that a very dirty campaign is carried out against us. It shows no sign of abating, it flares up in the run-up to important international events, gets amplified, so to speak, and then it somewhat subsides. But it is a permanent campaign and the reasons for it are quite clear. First of all, the world Armenians and the Armenian lobby are targeting us. They have been joined by hypocritical and corrupt politicians under their patronage. This particularly applies to Western politicians. Congressmen, senators, MPs, politicians, Islamophobic and other elements who have built their lives on the Armenian money have declared war on Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, fascism, racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and anti-Semitism are gaining ground in Europe today. So this movement is directed not only against Muslims. Of course, these forces do not want Muslim countries to develop like we do. Teaming up with patrons of what remains of the "fifth column" in Azerbaijan, they have launched an attack against us.

In other words, in the run-up to and during the European Games, the information war against us entered into the most violent phase. But it is the Azerbaijani people and state that got the upper hand in this information war, because this campaign and its last stage demonstrated once again that no external force can affect our will. But look, and let the people of Azerbaijan see again what inglorious deeds they are committing. Two days before the opening of the European Games, the European Parliament tabled an anti-Azerbaijani resolution and attempted to adopt it. Although European Parliament President Schulz, his deputy Lunacek and others have taken an explicitly anti-Azerbaijani position and are treating Azerbaijan like an enemy, this resolution was not adopted, as 136 deputies voted for and 136 against it. In essence, it was a political fiasco of Schultz, Lunacek and the likes. If they had a little bit of conscience, they should have resigned. When they saw that this did not work, they wondered what else they could do. The German Bundestag convened on the opening day of the Games, on 12 June, and adopted a resolution. This resolution is based on an anti-Azerbaijani position and lies. The question is how German Bundestag is associated with us and what it thinks of itself. Is it the master of the world? Or a judge? And should everyone obey it? It seems that they have developed a bad habit. But they should not compare us to others. We have a long-distance relationship with them. We need nothing from them. On the contrary, they need our gas, our contracts, our oil, activities in this area, in this geographical area. We buy their technology, but we will buy it elsewhere. We do not depend on them in any way. Who is the German Bundestag to adopt an anti-Azerbaijani resolution?! Let it mind its own business. Enough of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries – we will not tolerate that! What I want to say is that there is such an approach. Why? Because they are stifled with anger and resentment. They can’t come to terms with the fact that Azerbaijan is developing successfully, that a Muslim country such as Azerbaijan hosts European Games today, and at this level. The European Games were held at the level of Olympic Games. In contrast, the visitors who came here, representatives of Europe, ordinary people and athletes were delighted and fascinated by Azerbaijan, they fell in love with it and did not want to leave. I was told that some athletes did not want to leave at the end of their competition and wanted to stay until the end. This is Azerbaijan and these are normal European citizens. We wanted to go forward, but we saw that we were not perceived properly because we are Muslims, because we did not bow to them and for other reasons. So we stopped. If they want, let them take a step forward. After the Bundestag, an anti-Azerbaijani resolution was adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. What does this mean? What is this hatred for and who you are at enmity with? With Azerbaijan?! We may be at enmity, but who will suffer – let them think twice about that.

In short, this is the current situation. At the same time, we have no problems with European countries in a bilateral format. In meetings with leaders of major European countries, of course, I make all of these comments. They say: do not pay attention, they do not deserve that. We do not pay attention. If we did, then we would do what they said. No-one will do what they say. These resolutions are just a piece of paper for us. Therefore, no-one will ever fulfill them. Let them know about it, let this be known to the Azerbaijani people and to those who drafted these libels. You can’t speak with Azerbaijan in a language of dictate. You can be friends and partners with Azerbaijan. We are ready for that and will continue to go in this direction.