Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the opening of the Fuzuli Hydroelectric Power Station

- Dear friends, dear residents of Fuzuli!

I am very pleased to be alongside you today. This is the fourth time I have come to Fuzuli as President. This time I have attended the opening of beautiful facilities. The biggest of these, of course, is the Fuzuli hydroelectric power station.

We laid the foundation of this station together four years ago. I am very glad that the station has already been commissioned. This is the biggest hydroelectric power station built in Azerbaijan in recent years. Its capacity is 25 megawatts and it will partly meet the electricity needs of Fuzuli District. The station is particularly important because it is a hydroelectric power station. The cost of electricity produced here is low. At the same time, this station has been built on a previously occupied territory. And this fact greatly enhances its importance. Armenian occupying forces had seized Fuzuli District. However, under the command of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani army liberated part of the district from occupation. Extensive creative work and landscaping are already under way on these territories, homes are built, buildings restored and industrial enterprises put in place.

Today, I have attended the opening of multiple facilities in Fuzuli. I have attended the opening of a Youth Center, the Heydar Aliyev Center, the Heydar Park, a school and other facilities. Earlier, a mugham center, an Olympic complex and a diagnostic center had been built as well. In other words, all necessary action is taken for the development of Fuzuli District. Five years ago the Horadiz settlement was given the status of a city, and today it is successfully developing.

In the coming years, additional measures will be taken for the development of Fuzuli District. There is also the issue of restoration of the houses destroyed by Armenian barbarians. This issue was raised today and will be resolved. Additional measures to accelerate the socioeconomic development of the district will be taken.

The commissioning of the new plant is essentially a manifestation of the work done in Azerbaijan in this field. All the issues related to electricity have been resolved at a high level in our country in recent years. A total of 1,500 megawatts of new capacity has been created. Thus, Azerbaijan has fully resolved the issue of energy security.

Eariler, we used to import electricity. Now we export it to neighboring countries - Turkey, Georgia, Iran and Russia. So we have achieved a turnaround in this area. Today, no district has problems with electricity. The stations already built and under construction will enable us to further enhance progress in this area.

Currently, the construction of the "Janub" hydroelectric power station is ongoing in the south of the country. In Baku, the construction of the "Shimal-2" hydroelectric power station is continuing. The total capacity of the two stations exceeds 1,200 megawatts. We are building these plans so that Azerbaijan could always have a say in global energy security matters. The projects ongoing in Azerbaijan in this field are of great importance not only for our country and the region, but also for Europe. As in all other areas, the issues of energy security, important for the solution of economic and social problems, are dealt with at a high level. This station is an excellent example of that fact.

This station is also beneficial from an environmental point of view. As you know, all stations in Azerbaijan operate either on gas or water in recent years. We no longer use heating oil, thus we are improving the environmental situation in the country. But the economy is growing, the needs are growing, the population is growing. Thus, the demand for electricity will rise, and I want to repeat that we are building new stations. At present, the creation of renewable energy is in the foreground. In this area, we plan to build hydro-, wind and solar power stations.

Economic growth, of course, requires us to take extra measures to accelerate economic development. Because the progress made in Azerbaijan in recent years, i.e. the new enterprises, the implementation of infrastructure projects, of course, have significantly developed our country. The progress made in the economic sphere enables us to successfully resolve social problems because these two issues are interconnected.

All international rating agencies have been giving high assessments to Azerbaijan’s economic indicators in the years of crisis, our economy is competitive and sustainable. In our economic policy we rely only on our internal resources. We differ from some countries in the fact that our foreign debt is at a very low level. We build our economic future by mobilizing internal resources only. The steps taken in this area, the steps towards diversification have made our economy less dependent on the energy sector. Year 2012 is coming to an end. The results of this year show that our non-oil economy grew by almost 10 per cent. This is a very high indicator worldwide, especially in the crisis years.

In the coming years, following the completion of ongoing projects and the implementation of new ones, Azerbaijan will join the ranks of developed countries. I have expressed my thoughts on the matter quite broadly. To become an economically developed country, of course, we need to develop the regions. In recent years, as a result of the state program on the socioeconomic development of districts, we have made great strides in this direction. Unemployment has dropped. Poverty has reduced significantly, by five times. Today, a growing number of people come to Azerbaijan from abroad to work. We have created a migration service to have a functioning mechanism of effective regulation of labor resources.

Azerbaijan’s successful development in the coming years is beyond doubt for our population and international financial institutions alike. Our economic outlook is very positive and impressive. Of course, we should all strive to make our country more developed and pretty. In particular, the improvement and creative work in the regions should progress even faster. We see this development in Fizuli District. I am very pleased that the district has undergone great change in the last two years. I want to repeat that this is my fourth visit to Fizuli as President. The period that has passed since my last visit has been very successful for Fuzuli District. A lot has been done in a short time, parks have been established and new enterprises commissioned. Landscaping work is ongoing, and this makes me very happy because Fuzuli represents great importance for our country. The people of Fuzuli have always contributed to the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s independence. They showed great heroism during the war.

National leader Heydar Aliyev always paid great attention to Fuzuli – both in the years of his leadership in Azerbaijan in the 1970s and in the period of independence. It was under his leadership when 22 villages of Fuzuli District were freed from the invaders. Today, life on these territories is boiling and developing. The restoration of Fuzuli, the development of the lands liberated from occupation, the work carried out here – all this demonstrates the power of the Azerbaijani state. It shows that after Azerbaijan restores its territorial integrity, all the lands that are now occupied will become as beautiful and comfortable. After Azerbaijan restores its territorial integrity, all our villages and settlements, including Shusha and Khankandi, will be rebuilt, Azerbaijani citizens will live there. Each of us brings that day closer and closer. The growing power and international authority of our country, the positive developments ongoing in Azerbaijan increase our strength.

Today, Azerbaijan has a say in the word, enjoys great international respect. It is no coincidence that 155 countries supported the candidacy of Azerbaijan and today we are a member of the most authoritative global structure – the UN Security Council. We are actively and successfully engaged in the activities in this organization.
We recently became a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, and shortly afterwards the first summit of the organization adopted a very valuable resolution on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It says that this issue should be resolved only within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. So our international reputation is growing, our economic strength is growing and our military capabilities are growing.

As for Armenia, its occupying policy has plunged them in a quagmire. According to their own official statistics, more than 100,000 people leave the country every year. Hopelessness, tyranny, poverty and economic decline – these are the features that distinguish Armenia from other countries. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is developing, our development is long-term and sustainable. I want to reiterate that as a result of the measures taken, Azerbaijan has become the leading country in the region. Over the years, the gap between Armenia and Azerbaijan will further deepen – in the economic, military and demographic fields. Our population is growing, while Armenia’s is shrinking.

I have no doubt that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. There are a number of key factors that allow us to say so – economic opportunities, our international position, international law and the power of the Azerbaijani army. I am sure and want to say again that after an end is put to occupation, all the lands that are currently captured will become more beautiful and landscaped, new enterprises will be established there. We will restore our historical and religious sites, eliminate the consequences of the crimes committed by Armenian fascists and vandals. Our country will successfully develop and Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. To achieve this, we need to be even more active in all areas. First of all, the processes in the country should develop in a positive direction and they do.

I would like to sincerely congratulate you on this wonderful event again. I want to congratulate you on the work done in Fuzuli in recent years. I want to assure you that, as President, I will continue to make efforts for the development of Fuzuli. This issue will always be in the spotlight. We will meet many more times because a lot more will be done in Fuzuli in the future, there will be many more opening ceremonies. Once again I congratulate you and wish you good health and happiness.