From Altai Efendiev, GUAM Secretary General

To His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the GUAM Secretariat and me personally, allow me to extend to you our most sincere congratulations on the occasion of your birthday.

Your anniversary is celebrated against the backdrop of a glorious victory of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Patriotic War, which ended with the liberation of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the restoration of its territorial integrity.

It is widely acknowledged that at the foundation of this historic achievement stood your strong leadership, unbending political will, strategic vision, and political wisdom, coupled with your dedication and many years of laborious efforts in national and statehood building. The ability as Commander-in-Chief to unite, mobilize, and to lead the nation at the most critical and decisive moment in its modern history was the quintessential manifestation of your leadership.

Contemporary and independent Azerbaijan with a dynamic economy, active, peaceful, and constructive foreign policy, strong and modern army is the result of the realization of the vision and the strategy, laid down by national leader Heydar Aliyev, which is continued by your selfless service to your motherland.

Today Azerbaijan is a recognized and respected member of the international community, an active and influential actor in the international arena, champion of peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding based on universal values, norms, and principles of peaceful coexistence.

Important international projects in energy, transportation, and communication, pioneered by and implemented with the active participation of Azerbaijan, profoundly altered the geopolitical landscape of the wider Caspian Sea and the Black Sea region, ensuring its integration into the global economy, strengthening cooperation among neighboring countries, thus enhancing the strategic significance of this vast and rich geographic area.

A new situation emerged in the region, as a consequence of the victory of Azerbaijan, opens up promising opportunities for rehabilitation and development in the region. We highly appreciate your messages of goodwill, appealing to wisdom and common sense, inviting all to dialogue and cooperation. We strongly believe that this historic chance and unique opportunity in the region should be seized in the interests and for the benefits of all the nations living in the region. And we in GUAM as a regional organization, uniting four friendly nations and strategic partners, are ready to support all the ideas and initiatives to that end.

Dear Mr. President,

Availing of this special occasion, allow me once again to congratulate you on your birthday and on the great achievements in the development of your country. We wish you good health, inexhaustible energy, and new great victories in the implementation of your ideas and plans for the sake of the progress and prosperity of your beautiful country.

Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.

Altai Efendiev

GUAM Secretary General