To participants of the sixth meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic service of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Dear participants of the meeting!

I greet you and congratulate you on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic service of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

As soon as the Declaration of Independence on the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first parliamentary Republic in the East and in the Muslim world, was approved, the establishment of friendly relations with all nations of the world was identified as one of the priority areas of the Republic’s foreign policy.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the 100th anniversary of which we celebrated last year, managed to do a great deal of work in a short period of time.

The date of adoption in 1919 of the interim instruction on the Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, 9 July, is marked as the day of the professional holiday of diplomatic service staff of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is 100 years from this date today.

The Republic of Azerbaijan as the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic which restored its independence in 1991 was faced with the same difficulties as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic itself. The territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan and the occupation of our lands, the complex political processes, the social and economic problems called the fate of the newly independent Azerbaijan Republic into question.

The return of Heydar Aliyev to power at the insistence of the people in June 1993 was a turning point in our history. Heydar Aliyev saved Azerbaijan from that difficult situation and put it on the path of development. Our country began to confidently advance in all areas and identified fundamental principles of our foreign policy strategy. Over the past period, we have managed to create a strong and powerful state, and we can say with full confidence today that the Azerbaijani state has never been as strong as it is now.

Today, Azerbaijan is a country that pursues an independent policy in the true sense of the word and enjoys great authority in the international arena. The number of countries cooperating with us is always on the increase. We have twice presided over the most authoritative organization of the world – the UN Security Council. We work very closely with all other leading international organizations. Azerbaijan is recognized worldwide as a reliable partner hosting representative international events. This is why our country is treated with great respect and sympathy.

Our country's foreign policy is a continuation of our successful domestic policy. Our diplomats and diplomatic service agencies have exceptional services in strengthening our independence, communicating the Azerbaijani realities to the whole world and turning our country into an active member of the international community.

The cessation of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, the liberation of our occupied territories and the restoration of our country's territorial integrity and sovereignty within the framework of its internationally recognized borders are among the important issues on our foreign policy agenda. As a result of our consistent diplomatic efforts, the international community strongly supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country and the settlement of the conflict on the basis of these principles.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I would like to once again convey my most sincere congratulations to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our Embassies and representative offices in foreign countries, and all those working in the field of foreign policy, and wish you success in such a responsible and honorable mission as protecting the national interests of Azerbaijan, representing our country in the international arena with dignity and successfully implementing our foreign policy.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 8 July 2019