Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the joint meeting between Azerbaijani and Russian Presidents with railway veterans and workers on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Baikal-Amur Mainline

- Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

Dear friends!

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, for the invitation to take part in today's event. It is a great honor for me to be among those who built the BAM, who dedicated their lives and their youth to the All-Soviet Union construction.

I would also like to congratulate all the builders, specialists and all BAM workers on the 50th anniversary of the start of construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

Vladimir Vladimirovich mentioned that this construction project brought together all the republics of the Soviet Union. This, in fact, is very true, and it is not by chance that it was called the All-Soviet Union construction. And we, of course, are proud that Azerbaijani builders and specialists took an active part in the construction and, as Vladimir Vladimirovich noted, built two railway stations.

Of course, I would like to say words of special gratitude to Vladimir Vladimirovich for the respect for the memory of Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev. We know perfectly well that it was Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev who laid the foundation of friendly and neighborly relations between our countries in the early 2000s. In 2001, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin visited Azerbaijan, marking the beginning of a significant journey that we are undertaking together."

Today, we discussed the realization of many plans related to our cooperation, which has been implemented for more than two years within the framework of allied interaction between us. Of course, the Heydar Aliyev factor has and will always play an important role in our interstate relations, because during his years in office in this building, in Moscow, in the Kremlin, he made tremendous efforts to contribute to the development of the Soviet state and the sphere he was entrusted with. One of them was the transportation sphere.

We are also grateful to the workers and builders of the BAM, to all transport workers of Russia for perpetuating the memory of Heydar Aliyev. A railway station in the Angoya settlement was named after him. As BAM workers know very well, he covered a long distance – practically on foot, by train, by helicopter – in challenging conditions from Bratsk to Vladivostok and Nakhodka. He shared in the joys and sorrows with the people of BAM for ten days.

And I remember that when he returned, he was impressed not only by the scale of construction that the Soviet state was capable of implementing, but, first of all, by the dedication of the BAM workers, who, in the harshest imaginable conditions, sometimes in permafrost, in impassable forests, lack of roads, were putting their lives at risk, performing a feat, a miracle practically every day, predetermining the future development of the Soviet state, the present-day Russia and neighboring countries, and creating a unique example of infrastructure, which for many years – for 50 years and more – will serve the cause of regional development and international cooperation.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Vladimir Vladimirovich and our Russian friends for honoring the 100th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev. This day was celebrated with particular respect in Azerbaijan and Russia last year. This is our common history and we cherish it very much.

Today, it is gratifying that modern Azerbaijan-Russia relations are based on this solid foundation: on friendship, mutual understanding, mutual support and are result-oriented. Today, we are not only implementing major transport projects, as Vladimir Vladimirovich noted, we are actively involved in the creation of the international transport corridor North-South. We also actively cooperate in economic, political, energy, humanitarian and many other spheres.

As for the North-South transport corridor, Vladimir Vladimirovich and I discussed this issue in detail once again today. Appropriate instructions have been given to members of the Government. I am confident that all the issues will be agreed upon in the near future and we will start the implementation of yet another magnificent project.

I must say that a railway connecting the Azerbaijan-Russia border with the Azerbaijan-Iran one exists across the territory of Azerbaijan. The requirements of shippers necessitate the construction of new segments of this railway to boost freight traffic, thereby establishing a unique transportation route from the North to the Indian Ocean.

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in this event, to congratulate all BAM workers on this anniversary and wish the builders of Azerbaijan, Russia and all CIS countries continued success and new accomplishments.

Thank you.