Speech by Ilham Aliyev while receiving the participants of reporting conference of the Supreme Religious Council of Caucasian Peoples held in Baku

I am delighted to welcome and see you once again. This is very significant that we meet often times and you visit our country regularly. We value it very highly. These links are very important for all of us. We are very happy to see this level of relationship between religious leaders of Caucasus and mutual understanding based on traditional brotherhood between the peoples of Caucasus. We are mindful of these relations and appreciate it very much. Throughout the centuries, there have been always the relations of friendship, brotherhood, mutual support and reciprocal assistance between our peoples. I am glad that this relationship continues today. It is developed further. Your regular visits to our country, as well as the visits of our esteemed Sheikh to the republics of North Caucasus and his meetings with leaders of North Caucasus republics are valued very highly.

Caucasus is our common house. It is a large common family and a unified body. It is very important to strengthen confidence building measures, attempt to bolster stability and security in Caucasus and work hard on such issues. We can do it and will continue to contribute, in our turn, to the strengthening of security and stability in our region. I think that the main factor in this case is the relationship between all peoples living in such a beautiful region on the Earth as Caucasus. The gathering of religious leaders, their discussions and the existence of co-operation format are very important because your words are heeded by all our peoples and citizens, and many things depend on you as the revered and the respectful people.

The relations and the co-operation between Azerbaijan and Russia as well as strengthening of development in the region of Caucasus and its security are important factors. This is a very important factor of regional development and stability. It is very pleasant for us that this relationship develops in a very positive and dynamic way in recent years. We, as two Caucasian countries – Russia and Azerbaijan contribute greatly to the stabilization of situation in the region. Many things depend on our joint activities. Of course, there are pending tasks in front of our societies. We think that economic welfare and growth are ones of main factors in fostering stability and security. This is a primordial factor to attain the assigned tasks.

We pay a particular attention to these issues in Azerbaijan and see in the development example of our country that as unemployment decreases, so does the poverty. Business is developing. Investments are brought to the country. Security and stability measures are strengthening. In our turn, we are always ready to participate actively in all positive processes in the region of Caucasus.

Our common task and duty is to ensure better life, security, descent living and working conditions for our peoples and attract actively the youth to all positive processes. For the time being, we work on an extensive program related to youth policy. Soon, a very concrete and effective state program will be adopted for the years of 2011-2015. This program will define implementation mechanisms and deadlines of decisions, its financial package and the exact result we expect to see.

Therefore, we are ready to consult and exchange experience also in these issues, if necessary. As a country of this region, it is very important for us to have peace, security, progress and development in Caucasus. There are relations of traditional brotherhood and friendship between Azerbaijani people and the peoples of North Caucasus. Our co-operation and mutual support have centuries’ long history. This co-operation continues both at the level of my relations with leaders of North Caucasian republics, and at the level of ties between peoples and business structures. This is a very important factor to bolster stability and security in the region.

I avail of this opportunity to convey my regards and best wishes to the leaders of North Caucasian republics. I reaffirm my invitations to them to visit Azerbaijan. Many of them have been already here on many occasions. But, I would like to see those who visited us before to come again and those who never came to visit our country for the first time. There is a big need for that. I think that these mutual visits will strengthen further our ties.

Today, the important event of the Coordination Council takes place in Baku. I am very delighted that it is not for the first time that the capital city of our country hosts such events both in the framework of co-operation between Caucasian republics and at global level. Recently, we held a big forum on intercultural dialogue. We received guests from all over the world. Last year, we organized World Religious Leaders Summit with your participation. This event was also very successful. This year, we will hold the first international humanitarian forum under the auspices of Russia and Azerbaijan. We will invite all our partners to this forum. We attach a high importance to these issues. They should have less importance in comparison with economic or industrial development issues because everything is being done and should be done for people, their welfare, security and development of our countries and the region as a whole.

I greet you wholeheartedly once again and say: welcome to us. You are our dearest guests. We are always glad to see you. I wish you and your republics prosperity and happiness.