Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the opening of a new settlement for 760 IDP families in the Masazir settlement of Absheron District

- I cordially greet and congratulate you. Today we are celebrating the opening of a new neighborhood built for the internally displaced persons in the Masazir settlement. This is a great event. Once again I congratulate you on this wonderful event.

The neighborhood is based on the highest standards. It has beautiful apartments, a great school, a kindergarten, a medical center. The entire infrastructure has been created – electricity, gas, water and heating lines have been laid and roads built. In other words, this neighborhood has all the conditions for comfortable life.

The opening of this township demonstrates the policy of Azerbaijan once again. Our policy boils down to the fact that everything should be done for the citizens of Azerbaijan. The solution of problems of the internally displaced persons has been in the focus at all times. The first such settlement was built on the initiative of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev. From that time to date, a total of 77 settlements have been built. This one is 78th. There are also many innovations here.

High-rise buildings have been constructed. I am confident that this policy will be successfully continued in the coming years, because the policy of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev extends to all directions in Azerbaijan. This includes the solution of issues related to improving the living conditions and employment opportunities for the IDPs. Relevant executive orders have been signed and programs adopted. These are very precise programs. But most importantly, these programs are implemented in a timely manner.

A total of 20,000 internally displaced persons improved their living conditions last year. This year we will also improve the living conditions of at least 20,000 persons. This work will be carried out in the following years too.

Our state is successfully pursuing its policy in this regard. This year, funds in the amount of almost 600 million manats are to be allocated from all sources to address the problems of the internally displaced persons. Of this amount, more than 300 million manats will be spent on the construction of new settlements. At the end of last year we celebrated the opening of a similar neighborhood in the Mushfigabad settlement. And now we are here. Next new settlements will be built in Mingachevir, Ganja and other cities.

The Azerbaijani state is consistently resolving all the issues in this direction. As you know, at the first stage our attention was certainly focused on those of our compatriots who were living in the toughest conditions in tent-camps. We have managed to successfully implement that program ahead of schedule. In 2007, the last tent-camp was eliminated. After that, it was stated that the problems faced by the internally displaced persons living in Finnish townships, dormitories, schools, kindergartens would be resolved, and very important work has already been done in this direction. This year we will completely eliminate Finnish settlements, and the process of resettling the displaced persons living in dormitories to such settlements has begun. The citizens settled in the dormitories of Baku State University and the State Oil Academy, including you, are already being resettled to such lovely settlements.

I want to reiterate that this is a manifestation of public policy. There is a very strong social policy in Azerbaijan, and citizens of Azerbaijan are at the heart of all our work. Displaced people have suffered the most. In the aftermath of the Armenian aggression you lived in very difficult conditions for many years. Some displaced people are still living in difficult conditions. We are aware of that and are consistently resolving these issues – of course, within our possibilities.

In the first years our financial opportunities were not particularly extensive. But despite this, first allocations from the State Oil Fund were aimed at resolving the problems of the internally displaced persons on the instruction of great leader Heydar Aliyev. At that time, at a time when our financial resources were limited, the first large funds were spent on these purposes. Today, our economic and financial capabilities have greatly increased, of course. Therefore, the volume of the work we are doing has also increased. Let me repeat that funds in excess of 600 million manats will be spent for this purpose this year alone. This is a large amount. But it is also true that there are still displaced persons living in difficult conditions – both in Baku and in other cities and districts – in schools, in kindergartens, in military units, in dormitories.

These issues will be gradually resolved. This year new apartments will be provided to 20,000 persons. This township will be home to about 3,500 displaced people. In fact, this is a small township.

All this work being carried out once again demonstrates that the problems of the internally displaced persons are constantly in the spotlight. To this day, 140,000 internally displaced persons have been resettled to new houses and apartments. That is a lot of work – it is tantamount to the construction of a new city. We also need to know that Azerbaijan is a country with the largest number of refugees and displaced persons in the world. Azerbaijan's population is growing. But at the same time, the number of the internally displaced persons is also increasing. In 1992, it wasa million people, while now it has reached 1.1 million, perhaps even 1.2 million internally displaced persons.
Of course, this is an issue that requires tremendous funds. But let me repeat that social policy is conducted very successfully in Azerbaijan and the biggest funds are envisaged primarily for the solutionof problems of the internally displaced persons. This policy will be continued in the coming years too. Perhaps even greater amounts will be allocated in future years. But we also need to know that the largest amount ever - 300 million manats - was allocated from the State Oil Fund last year. The Oil Fund alone has allocated 100 million, 200 million in previous years, 300 million last yearand another 300 million manats this year. At the same time, 14 million manats were allocated from the Contingency Fund of the President earlier this year to take urgent measures. It is not ruled out that more funds will be allocated from the Contingency Fund to address these issues during the year.

The Azerbaijani economy is developing so fast that we do not have huge financial problems. But we are also resolving the financial problems facing the country. Among them, of course, the issue of improving the living conditions of the IDPs deserves particular attention. But there are other issues as well – infrastructureprojects, landscaping, creative work, reconstruction, etc. Our state budget is growing, but so are the costs. We still have a lot to do to successfully address these issues.

But while visiting one apartment today and talking toa displaced person, I noted and I want to say again that this is a temporary place of residence. After our lands have been freed from the occupiers, we will construct buildings and homes that will be even more beautiful than these. In particular, we will create even better conditions in Zangilan and other districts that have been subjected to aggression. The process of placement and resettlement of the internally displaced persons shows that we have these opportunities. If we have already managed to accommodate 140,000 people and 20,000 persons are provided with new apartments every year, it means that after the liberation of our lands from occupation in the near future we will restore all our towns and villages, build houses and create proper conditions. I am sure of that.I am in no doubt about that. Azerbaijan’s growing financial and economic power will make this possible.
As far as the solution to the main issue is concerned – the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Azerbaijan's position is unequivocal. This position is based both on historical justice and international law. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored unconditionally.

Nagorno-Karabakh is native Azerbaijani land. All the lands that are currently under occupation are our historical lands. Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. There are many factors that give reason to say that. These include legal, political, historical and economic factors.

All international organizations recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Not a single country recognizes and will ever recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent entity. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored. This is indicated by all the resolutions adopted by international organizations. In other words, these are the main legal and political conditions for the solution of the issue.

At the same time, the balance of powers in the region has changed in our favor. Today, Azerbaijan is the fastest growing country in the world. Armenia is plunging into a decline with every year. Our population is growing - it is already 9.3 million people. The population of Armenia even according to their own official statistics reduces by almost 100,000 people every year. So when I say that I am absolutely sure that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity, I proceed from these factors. But at the same time, both I and all of us really want this issue to be resolved as soon as possible. We want immediate action to be taken and an end to be put to the occupation. Unfortunately, double standards and the double approachesexisting in the world do nothing to helpresolve the problem.

At the first stage of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we can say that there was parity in military and economic spheres. But we have already changed this parity. Today the gap is very large. As the gap grows, international organizations and countries involved in this issue send new messages across: the problem should be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, no other option is possible.

Armenia has occupied our lands by military means. Then, in order to eliminate the consequences of the occupation, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions. None of them has been implemented in 20 years. But how can it be possible that a resolution adopted on some other issue starts to be implemented on the same day, but whenit comes to us, the issue remains unresolvedfor 20 years, and all we hear is that the issue should be resolved only peacefully. Why? Because there are double standards! We have the full right, and international law recognizes our right to restore our territorial integrity by any means. The UN Charter has provisions that any country has the right to use every opportunity to defend itself. In the Helsinki Final Act, the principle of territorial integrity prevails over any other principle, including the principle of self-determination of peoples. However, I can say that the injustices, double standards, the Armenian lobby and its supporters in the world, as well as the passiveness of mediators, do not create the necessary conditions for a solution. But despite that, we will be even more assertive and consistent in our political and diplomatic efforts. We will further step up our activities in international organizations. At the same time, even more serious steps towards army building will be taken. We use every opportunity available to us to keep Armenia as isolated as it is now from economic and regional issues. I am confident that as a result of these complex measures and due to the growing power of our country we will restore our territorial integrity.

I want to say once again that I have no doubt whatsoever that we will return to our native lands, including Zangilan, Karabakh andShusha, and the flag of Azerbaijan will fly in all our cities. I have no doubt about that.
We simplywant to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, returnyou to our native lands, build beautiful buildings, houses, and set up settlements and cities for you.

Dear friends, I congratulate you on this wonderful event again. At the same time, an office building of the ZangilanDistrict Executive Authority has been built here. Ali Hasanov tells me that the Executive Authority did not have a separate office building before. There is a single center here now, albeit temporary. All structures of the districts will also be based here.

You can live well here.

Congratulations again!