Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of a residential settlement built for 552 IDP families

President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the opening of a new residential settlement built in Takhtakorpu of Agjabadi District for 552 IDP families from Lachin District.

First, the head of state and his wife visited and laid flowers at a statue of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev in the center of the settlement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov said that construction and creative work ongoing in the country have spread to Takhtakorpu where IDPs from Lachin are settled. Parks, a martyrs memorial and the area around the office building of the Lachin District Executive Authority have been landscaped and green areas established. Since the beginning of this year, 21 km of gas lines have been laid, repairs carried out on 4 km of water lines and old pipes replaced in Takhtakorpu. Modular water treatment plants have been installed in Alkhasli and Garakeshish settlements. Repairs have been completed on the Takhtakorpu-Mais and Takhtakorpu-Alkhasli roads and 7,900 square meters of roads have been paved.

It was indicated that out of 71,200 Lachin residents temporarily settled in 58 districts and cities of the country, 13,000 people live in Takhtakorpu. New IDP settlements are now under construction here. One of them is a new settlement for 552 IDP families from Lachin District built in Takhtakorpu in Agjabadi District in accordance with the Order of the President from 31 October 2007 on amendments to the state program approved by the Order dated 1 July 2004. The construction of this settlement was yet another important step of the President towards improving the socioeconomic and living conditions of the IDPs.

It was noted that the settlement covers an area of 111 hectares, while the area of the houses built in it is 31,179 square meters. Every house has an adjacent 12-acre plot. The settlement has a modern school for 360 pupils, a kindergarten, a club, a community center, an office building for the local administration, parks and green areas. The village is supplied with electricity, natural gas and drinking water. There is also a system to drain rainwater. Roads with a total length of 15 kilometers have been built in the settlement.

The head of state and his wife were informed about the main technical and economic indicators of the new settlement.

It was mentioned that the settlement has the necessary infrastructure, 49 one-room, 194 two-room, 237 three-room and 72 four-room houses. There are two transformer stations, six gas pressure units, single-span bridges and green areas in the settlement.

President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva visited the house of IDP Jannat Aliyev.

The head of state and his wife were presented with flowers.

The President of Azerbaijan had tea with the host.

Welcoming the President, Jannat Aliyev said:

Welcome!

President Ilham Aliyev: What do you think about the house? Do you like it?

Jannat Aliyev: Mr. President, on behalf of my family and on my own I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to you for creating such wonderful conditions for us, building a beautiful settlement and coming to meet with the people of Lachin on this significant day.

President Ilham Aliyev:

Thank you. I am very glad to be celebrating this wonderful event together with you. The opening of this new settlement is a great event. As you know, dozens of new settlements have been built in Azerbaijan in recent years, tens of thousands of IDPs have moved in new homes. All the houses are beautiful. They have all the conditions, gardens, the entire infrastructure – there is electricity, water, gas. Of course, earlier your living conditions were not up to par. But now the Azerbaijani state has the resources and, most importantly, our policy is to provide our fellow citizens who live in difficult conditions with excellent houses.

Now there is a large settlement here, 552 houses have been built. I can see that they are of good quality, they are wonderful, spacious and comfortable homes. I congratulate you on this occasion and wish you a happy life here.

Jannat Aliyev: Mr. President, the people of Azerbaijan are indebted to our great leader for what he has done. Most importantly, he has raised and given Azerbaijan a man like you. The great leader used to say: I believe in Ilham as I do myself, he will complete the work I have started. You have led our nation since 2003. The construction, creative work, landscaping, achievements in the fields of industry, agriculture, science, culture, socioeconomic development, political stability and the overall rapid development have enabled Azerbaijan to join the ranks of the most developed countries.

This has happened thanks to your work. This has happened because you and your late father have always visited the districts and been in close contact with the people. Therefore, as an Azerbaijani I am very proud. I am proud that we have a President like you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. You are quite right, work in this area was once started by the great leader. The first funds the country received were channeled into improving the plight of IDPs. At the time, in late 1999, the Oil Fund was established, and when first oil revenues were received, first funds were allocated for the construction of new refugees settlements. We are continuing that policy. Of course, Azerbaijan’s financial capabilities have substantially improved, we strive and must strive to solve the problems of refugees. And we are doing that.

Jannat Aliyev: The people of Lachin loved the great leader. He said remarkable words: “Lachin is one of the most beautiful corners of Azerbaijan, both in terms of its nature and people”. Indeed, we are infinitely glad today that you, the son if our great leader, have come to meet with us, the people of Lachin, despite your busy schedule. If the great leader hadn’t come to power, we, the IDPs, would have been treated as “strangers”. Our savior came to power, and the care and attention to us, the internally displaced persons, increased. You have just mentioned that the internally displaced persons from Lachin were settled here in a waterless desert, in 86 public places. Those were terrible days. There wasn’t enough water, we had to travel 30-40 kilometers to get it. We pray to Allah not to return us to those days again.

The great leader returned to power and put everything back on track. You are a worthy successor of the great leader. The people of Lachin fully support your domestic and foreign policies.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you, this is indeed the case. The great leader had a special attitude to Lachin and its people. I also love the people of Lachin very much, and I am with you today. I want to say this: if the great leader had been in power at the crucial time, Lachin would never have been occupied, never. As a result of the ineptitude of the then government and the existence of anti-national forces fighting for power, Lachin was occupied. The occupation of our lands practically began with the seizure of Lachin. The occupation of Lachin in May 1992 led to the creation of a geographic link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

Jannat Aliyev: The Armenians described Lachin as the “main gate”. Because of the betrayal of incompetent leaders in 1992, the Armenians occupied Lachin.

President Ilham Aliyev: After that the people of Lachin came to a waterless desert, no-one took care of them or dealt with their problems. They were left in the desert to fend for themselves, without water and any conditions. You have been through those days, you have seen that tragedy.

Jannat Aliyev: Mr. President, let those days never come back. Seeing such a lukewarm attitude towards IDPs and our problems, four other IDPs and I went to see the chairman of the committee. They didn’t even know their own responsibilities. I am saying this quite honestly.

Dear Mr. President, in 1971 the great leader signed an order on Lachin, on the economic development of mountain districts. In 1974 he signed an order on the 50th anniversary of Lachin. Thanks to those orders Lachin started to develop rapidly. Both economically and in terms of its improvement, Lachin was ranked first among all mountain districts. At that time, your late father awarded me on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Lachin. And in 2009 you gave me the “Taraggi” medal.

President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, I can see that.

Jannat Aliyev: On behalf of our family and all our next of kin, I am shaking your hand in appreciation.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much.

Jannat Aliyev: Your international authority is very gratifying. As the Supreme Commander, you have created a strong army.

In the future, this army will take revenge on the enemy for us. We will return to our lands and build such beautiful homes in our native territories under your leadership. You are doing a lot to improve the temporary conditions of our countrymen.

President Ilham Aliyev: You are absolutely right. This is a temporary settlement. After liberating Lachin, Kalbajar, Agdam and other lands that are still under occupation, we will build even better homes for the IDPs. I have no doubt about that.

We will restore our territorial integrity by all means. I have repeatedly expressed my thoughts on this subject and want to add that these are not just words or dreams, this is the truth.

Look what a great and successful road Azerbaijan has passed over the 20 years. Azerbaijan is known as a country enjoying great respect in the world. Our international authority, domestic initiatives, the overall development of the Azerbaijani economy and a powerful military capacity give grounds to say that we will put an end to the occupation. This is an inescapable reality. I am sure that Armenia and its current leadership understand it. This is the only way.

Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity must be restored, all IDPs must return to their native lands, to Nagorno-Karabakh, including Shusha. Azerbaijan's sovereignty must be fully restored. This is required by international law. That is required by justice and by the Azerbaijani people. We now make diplomatic efforts to return there. If we see that these efforts remain futile, we will have to recover our lands by military means. International law recognizes this right. We simply try to do it through negotiations. Simultaneously, we are stepping up our power. Over the years we have become much stronger. We have created a powerful military potential. In the coming years the difference between Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue to grow. This difference shows itself in everything – the economy, the political clout of our countries, international support, even in demography. And it's true. The future will largely be determined by scientific and technological progress and development, as well as demography. Our population is growing, the population of Armenia is dwindling. Azerbaijan has a population of 9.3 million people, while Armenia 1.8 million. According to their official statistics, which is always based on fraud, 60,000 people left the country in the first half of the year. During the year, the figure will exceed 100,000. After five to 10 years there will be under one million people left in Armenia. We must work, we are working, getting stronger and gaining more partners.

Currently, the number of our partners in the world is growing. Countries want to be friends with us. A total of 155 countries supported Azerbaijan. There are a little fewer than 200 countries in the world. Of them, 155 voted for Azerbaijan.

I wouldn’t like to talk about other countries. But not many countries can win the votes of 155 countries. There are countries that address global issues. Can they get the support of 155 countries?! Never! Azerbaijan is a young and independent country, we have been on the world map for only 20 years.

We are supported by 155 countries, and this support will gradually grow even more. Because in the next two years all the countries which voted for us in the Security Council will see that they made no mistake. Because we will protect their interests, safeguard justice and defend law.

What is our main problem? There are laws. International organizations adopt resolutions, but they remain unfulfilled. The countries that may require their execution are also silent. Both I and the public have repeatedly spoken on the matter.

This is our problem. How can we express an attitude to this? Only by strengthening our country. Only in this way! There is no other way.

Of course, we are continuing the talks and will continue them for some time. But we know our socioeconomic and military power, influence opportunities in the region and our standing in the world. These are the paths leading to a solution of the Karabakh issue. We will use these paths. Popular support for our policy gives us extra strength. I get this support from you, I see it. It inspires me even more and creates even better opportunities for promoting the interests of our country in all issues.

Jannat Aliyev: Thanks to the measures you have taken, the listless opposition existing in the country will melt away like ice. A healthy opposition will emerge. Thanks to the efforts of a powerful army created by the Supreme Commander, our borders will be restored. We believe in this. We will return to our lands.

I think it is needless to talk about the work done by Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, the dear guest of my house. Because God has given her the same talent as the Prophet. I want her to be awarded the Nobel Prize as a representative of Azerbaijan in the future.

President Ilham Aliyev: Mehriban already has many awards.

Mehriban Aliyeva: Thank you very much.

Jannat Aliyev: I want to say that when Mehriban Aliyeva speaks in foreign countries, I always enjoy listen to her valuable words.

I knew the great leader from 1969. The republic was dominated by anarchy, chaos and groupings at the time.

Taking advantage of that, pro-Armenian forces in Moscow wanted to turn Azerbaijan into a region. They said that the Republic of Azerbaijan only receives subsidies and has nothing. I will never forget the great leader coming to power. After the August plenum, groupings fell apart and a healthy and businesslike atmosphere emerged in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has received the Red Banner of the Soviet Union 14 times. You are his son.

The grateful Azerbaijani people support your domestic and foreign policies.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Jannat Aliyev: The fact that you are celebrating your 50th anniversary with us is invaluable. I want you to celebrate your centenary.

President Ilham Aliyev: Together with you. In Karabakh.

Jannat Aliyev: You work so hard to improve the living conditions of IDPs. You value us. May Allah protect you. I wish you a long life, good health and happiness.

President Ilham Aliyev: I usually don’t celebrate my birthdays.

Jannat Aliyev: You are here with us, the IDPs. This is invaluable.

President Ilham Aliyev: We will celebrate this together in Karabakh.

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Then a picture was taken.

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Then President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva reviewed the merchandise produced by the internally displaced persons from Lachin, watched the process of baking Juha on the Saj and butter production. The President and his wife were informed about beekeeping supplies, product samples and the natural hive bee.

The head of state met with residents of the settlement.

Saluting the ceremony participants, President Ilham Aliyev said:

Good morning. My greetings to all of you!

Let me congratulate you on the opening of this beautiful settlement. It is a beautiful settlement, there are 552 houses, they are comfortable and beautiful, there is a school. The entire infrastructure is available: water, electricity and gas. In short, the establishment of this settlement is a great event. This is not our first meeting with the IDPs for the opening of new settlements. Such meetings take place every year, several beautiful settlements are built during the year. In general, 70 settlements have been established in recent years. As you know, there were tent camps in the past. In late 2007 they were eliminated. Instead, we built beautiful new settlements housing more than 100,000 internally displaced persons.

This excellent initiative was launched by great leader Heydar Aliyev. First allocations from the State Oil Fund established in Azerbaijan in the late 1990s were channeled into improving the living conditions of the IDPs. This policy continues today. Today, Azerbaijan has broader material possibilities. We have the opportunities to speed up this process.

Over the past few years we have built dozens of new settlements, thousands of people have moved into beautiful homes. A settlement for 556 houses is currently under construction in Agjabadi District. Today, I reviewed its construction. The IDPs will move in new houses probably early next year. According to the statistics I have been given, a total of $4 billion has been spent on improving the lives of the IDPs, of which $3.7 billion has been spent by the Azerbaijani state. These issues have been addressed both by the State Oil Fund and the state budget of Azerbaijan. In the coming years, namely starting from next year, even more funds will be allocated, so that we could also resolve the problems of the IDPs living in difficult conditions.

Of course, we first resolved the problems of those who lived in the worst conditions – tent camps have already been eliminated. At the current stage, we are resolving the problems of the IDPs settled in Finnish homes, schools, dormitories and in military units. You, too, used to live in Finnish homes, in difficult and harsh conditions. Now this settlement has been built. There are all the conditions for a normal life here. But this is a temporary settlement. After our lands are liberated from occupiers, even more beautiful settlements and villages will be established on all our lands that are currently under occupation, including Lachin.

We will do that. I am sure we will have the resources and the strength to do that. First of all, we must return our citizens to the lands currently under occupation. To do that, as you know, we are currently in talks, efforts are made. This is the most important issue facing the Azerbaijani state. Because our country is developing successfully in all the spheres now. No-one can emulate the successes Azerbaijan has achieved in the 20 years of independence. The economic development observed in Azerbaijan in recent years is unique in the world.

As long as we are in talks, not everything in the Karabakh issue depends on us. Negotiations have two sides: one is Azerbaijan, the other is Armenia. There is an international format of talks. The Minsk Group has been in operation for nearly 20 years. But there is no result.

Although the decisions and resolutions of all international organizations protect Azerbaijan’s fair cause, the issue remains unresolved. This is hampered by the Armenian lobby, Armenian patrons and those who support them. We can see that the Armenian lobby even influences the policies of some major states, seeking the adoption of decisions contrary to their own interests.

This is a fact. We are opposed not just by Armenia. Armenia is not a strong power for us. We are fighting against Armenians of the world and the hypocritical politicians who are managed by their dirty money. They fight against Azerbaijan every day. This is why the Minsk Group has existed for about 20 years, but without any result. To achieve a result there is no need for any huge steps. Suffice it to execute the resolutions of international organizations, the UN, its Security Council. The international community must demand that occupying forces withdraw from our lands and allow Azerbaijani citizens to return to their homes. The entire international community recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Nagorno-Karabakh is native Azerbaijani land, we all know that. International law also recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Why are these resolutions not executed? I repeat – as a result of the activities of world Armenians and the anti-Azerbaijani forces behind them, the issue is now in a frozen state. At the same time, I have repeatedly said that this conflict is not and can never be considered frozen. As long as our lands are under occupation, we will continue to strive to resolve it fairly and in our favor.

The path to a fair solution lies only through the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The territorial integrity of our country must and will be restored. Azerbaijan must and will assert sovereignty over all occupied territories. I have no doubt about that. We simply want to resolve this issue as quickly as possible so that our IDPs could return to their native lands. Personally, I am absolutely convinced that we will restore our territorial integrity. There are many factors giving ground for that. I have repeatedly expressed my thoughts about it: our growing political clout and economic strength. Most importantly, we now have a proper military capacity, which we will further increase, we have a growing population. So the factors of regional geopolitics support us. Over the years, we will become even stronger, while Armenia will weaken further. As long as our lands are under occupation, we will fight Armenia on all fronts.

Dear friends, you are the residents of Lachin District. Lachin is one of Azerbaijan’s most beautiful corners. The people of Lachin have always been faithful to Azerbaijan, to the philosophy of Azerbaijanism. It remains the case today. The occupation of Lachin is a great tragedy not only for the people of Lachin, but for all of us. Because Lachin’s beautiful monuments have now been destroyed. Our religious monuments have been destroyed. The artifacts of our museums, our houses have been looted. The houses of the people of Lachin are now inhabited by the enemy. This is also a tragedy. The destruction of a house is a disaster, but if your house is inhabited by the enemy, it is an even bigger disaster. Because you know that your houses in the heart of Lachin District are now occupied by enemies. It is impossible to tolerate this situation and we won’t.

The occupation of Lachin resulted in the occupation of other districts. In May 1992, Shusha was occupied and a few days later Lachin. Then, in April 1993, Kalbajar was occupied too. Thus, a geographical link was established between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. It had never existed before.

Nagorno-Karabakh is historical and ancestral Azerbaijani territory located in the center of Azerbaijan. The lands around it, including Lachin, are part of Azerbaijan. Our territories that now belong to Armenia, the Erivan Khanate, were also inhabited by Azerbaijanis. The present-day Armenia was also Azerbaijani territory. We know that. This is confirmed by historical documents. Thus, the occupation of Lachin led to the occupation of other districts. I am absolutely convinced – I expressed my views on this during a conversation with a respected elder today – that if great leader Heydar Aliyev had been in power at the time, not an inch of our land would have been under enemy occupation. Our enemies knew this too. When Heydar Aliyev left Baku and went to work in Moscow, they launched a campaign against him. A campaign of slander, defamation and lies was unleashed by both Armenian nationalists and the anti-national forces here in Azerbaijan. A few days after Heydar Aliyev’s resignation from the Politburo, the Armenians raised the Karabakh issue, which led to war. Unfortunately, those who were in power in Azerbaijan at the time not only failed to justify people’s confidence, but also committed a crime. Now we are faced with this situation.

I want to reiterate that as long as this issue remains unresolved, the Azerbaijani people cannot live peacefully, we will not rest. We must resolve this issue fairly, in our favor. Azerbaijan is a multiethnic state. Azerbaijan has never had any standoffs on ethnic or religious grounds. The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh can and must live within the sovereign state of Azerbaijan. Armenians live in Azerbaijan now. No-one can say a word to them – they are our citizens. So Azerbaijan is a tolerant country. The people of Azerbaijan are a tolerant people.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved only on the basis of these principles. The territorial integrity of our country must be restored. All IDPs must return to their native lands, including Nagorno-Karabakh. Afterwards the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh will live together. The Azerbaijanis must return to Shusha and live there. We want to achieve this peacefully. If this is not possible, the Azerbaijani army will have its say at a required moment.

Dear friends, I salute you all again today. I want to repeat that this is only a temporary place of residence. But we want the conditions to be good, even temporarily. I think the conditions here are good. I appreciate the work of the State Committee for refugees and displaced persons. They are doing all this work with great professionalism and love. We always keep in touch, all these projects are duly reported on. I endorse all of the committee’s initiatives. Next year even more will be allocated for the construction of new settlements. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan also does a great job in this area.

This shows again that the oil, which is a national asset, and the revenue received from it are at people’s disposal. This revenue is distributed fairly in Azerbaijan. The Oil Fund is an organization enjoying great reputation worldwide. The revenue of the State Oil Fund is growing. So, even more funds will be allocated for the construction of new settlements, of course. My greetings to you again, I wish you good health and every success!

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Speaking on behalf of the IDPs and expressing his gratitude to the President, Amirkhan Zeynalov said:

- Dear Mr. President!

Please allow me to welcome you on behalf of all the people of Lachin. Welcome to this beautiful and highly comfortable settlement you have given us!

Mr. President, as you pointed out, we have experienced the occupation of Lachin with great pain. We lived in harsh conditions at the time. But believe me, we never abandoned hope of returning to Lachin. If we had been led by great Heydar Aliyev at the time, they couldn’t have seized an inch of our land. Heydar Aliyev would not have given them an inch of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Dear Mr. President, we closely watch your activities and fully support them. The Karabakh issue is, of course, very difficult and challenging. You have said very well that its solution is not only in the hands of the Azerbaijani people. If all countries of the world support our just cause, it will certainly be resolved.

But you are pursuing a consistent, steady and confident policy and all countries of the world are perceiving Azerbaijan’s fair cause. We support your efforts to improve the well-being of our people, we always stand by you.

Dear Mr. President, as a result of your policy and strategic position, the world has indeed changed its attitude towards us.

For example, the fact that the Khojali tragedy was tabled in Mexico two days ago and its Armenian perpetrators were denounced is a practical result of your domestic and foreign policies.

You want to resolve this issue peacefully. Of course, a negotiated settlement is necessary. As an elder and a representative of the intelligentsia, I support your proposal and your policies. Because if our lands are returned peacefully, there will be no bloodshed and no martyrs. Mothers will not cry. This is why we support you.

Mr. President, you are someone moving forward along the right path. Your domestic and foreign policies are proving again that we will return to our lands. If the Armenians don’t appreciate your humanism and your policies, they will only have themselves to blame. We, the people of Lachin and of the entire Azerbaijan, are waiting for your order. If our lands are not freed peacefully and you decide that we must liberate them by force, then the people of Lachin and indeed the rest of Azerbaijan, young and old, will support you. As a representative of the intelligentsia, I will be at the forefront along with my sons.

Mr. President, this war has not spared my family either. About 20 of my close relatives became martyrs. Ten of my students heroically fought for our land and became martyrs. One of my students, Ogtay Gulaliyev, was awarded the highest honor – the National Hero. Yes, we are a proud nation. Our people love their land. But we lost our lands because the enemy has strong support. We can say unequivocally that you and your dear wife never forget about the IDPs. You pay attention to us, you care about us. We are cut off from our homeland, as they say, we have been hurt, we are dejected. But when we saw you today, we forgot about our troubles, we are proud of you. You pay attention to us, take care of us. For example, the decree you signed yesterday makes every resident of Lachin, every Karabakh war veteran happy, because you have raised our benefits.

Mr. President, the people of Lachin will never forget your words “What do we want?”. Indeed, what do we want? We want the land of our fathers and grandfathers. We want to go back. We want to live there. What can be more beautiful and sublime than this? Therefore, we support your policies, we believe in you. We believe that these lands will be returned by you personally, Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev. You will also free Lachin, Shusha and Nagorno-Karabakh. You will live in this land with us. You will set up our sacred tricolor on the highest peak of these mountains.

Mr. President, you have pleased us very much today. You are calming us down. We know that it is a remarkable day for you today, it is your birthday. You are turning 50. You could spend this day with your family, children, wonderful grandchildren. But you are so sensitive that you know the value of everything, you take into account the plight of the IDPs, you are making them happier. We, the people of Lachin, will never forget this day. We are very grateful to you. Thank you very much.

Dear Mr. President, you are happy to be the successor of Heydar Aliyev, you are a proud President of the Azerbaijani people. You are happy to have a wonderful family, wonderful children and grandchildren. All this is a gift bestowed by God. I want to say a few words about the work being done by Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva. I want to thank Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Lady of Azerbaijan, for the work she is doing, for her contributions to science, education, culture, and for her love of all Azerbaijani children as her own as a wonderful mother.

Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva works shoulder to shoulder with you. Wherever she is, she takes great steps regarding the issue of Azerbaijanism, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and ways of resolving it. For example, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva’s speech at the inter-religious forum or in Italy, the allocation of 100,000 euros for the repairs of a church, as you said, are evidence of inter-religious tolerance. There is one God. All the shrines are sacred. People should not use religion for bad purposes, people should live freely and happily.

Dear Mr. President, we are proud of you, we wish you a long life and good health. May God grant you 100 years of life by the wish of our people. Live and create. Thank you very much. Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I am grateful to you for your kind words. I want to say that I usually don’t celebrate my birthdays. But this year, I decided to celebrate it with my family, so today I am with my family, you are my family.

At the same time, I am very happy to mark this day on the sacred Karabakh land.

I want to express my deep gratitude to you again and wish you good health and happiness. I want to assure you that we will return to our native lands.

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Then a picture was taken.

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Then the President and his wife reviewed a school for 360 pupils. It was noted that the area outside the school was landscaped, trees planted and a football pitch built. The gym has equipment for sports such as basketball, wrestling and volleyball.

President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva watched a performance by athletes in the gym. The sportsmen had their picture taken with the President and his wife.

The computer classroom and the laboratory are fitted with modern teaching equipment.

President Ilham Aliyev also examined a stand reflecting information about famous people born in Lachin.

It was noted that the first military minister of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Khosrof Bay Sultanov, was born and raised in Lachin.

The school also has physics and biology classrooms. The library has a large collection of books. The school has photo sections documenting the care and attention of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev about education. There is also a section about major educational projects carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

It was noted that the kindergarten for 50 kids built in the settlement has bright and spacious rooms, various playing facilities and a preschool training section.

To simplify the procedure of application to local administrative organizations and other social institutions, a separate office building has been constructed in the center of the settlement. There is also a fully-equipped dispensary and a community center for various meetings and events.

The President expressed satisfaction with conditions at the settlement and gave instructions and recommendations.