BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 12. Azerbaijan is
commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the death of Heydar Aliyev,
the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people.


Both in Azerbaijan and abroad, people honor the National
Leader's bright memory with great respect.


Heydar Aliyev was born on May 10, 1923, in Nakhchivan. He
pursued specialized higher education in Leningrad (now Saint
Petersburg) and graduated from the Faculty of History at Azerbaijan
(now Baku) State University in 1957.


In July 1969, Heydar Aliyev was elected First Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan SSR during a
plenary session. In December 1982, he became a member of the
Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union and was appointed First Deputy Chairman of the USSR
Council of Ministers, becoming one of the USSR's leaders. In
October 1987, he resigned from his posts in protest against the
policies of the Political Bureau and General Secretary Mikhail
Gorbachev.


Following the tragic events of January 20, 1990, when Soviet
troops committed atrocities in Baku, Heydar Aliyev made a statement
at the Azerbaijani representation in Moscow the next day, demanding
justice for the organizers and perpetrators of the crime against
the Azerbaijani people. In protest against the USSR's duplicitous
policies regarding the Karabakh conflict, he left the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union in July 1991.


Returning to Azerbaijan in July 1990, Heydar Aliyev first
resided in Baku and later in Nakhchivan. That same year, he was
elected as a deputy to the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. Between
1991 and 1993, he was the chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and deputy chairman of the Supreme
Council of Azerbaijan. In 1992, the New Azerbaijan Party in
Nakhchivan elected him as its chairman at its founding
congress.


Heydar Aliyev's return to power in 1993, driven by the will of
the people, marked a turning point in Azerbaijan's history. During
the nation's most challenging period, he assumed responsibility for
its future, leading it out of political chaos and economic turmoil.
He rectified the consequences of shortsighted leadership, ended the
war, prevented civil strife, and set the country on a path of
development and progress.


It was thanks to Heydar Aliyev that the historic "Contract of
the Century" was signed, forming the cornerstone of a comprehensive
oil strategy that spurred rapid economic growth. In his inaugural
speech in 1998, the great leader declared, "We want Azerbaijan to
enter the 21st century as a powerful, independent state. We aim to
create a better life for future generations. Azerbaijan will evolve
as a free, democratic nation and will play its historical role at
the junction where Europe meets Asia".


Today, Azerbaijan is a strong, authoritative, and truly
independent state. Building upon the foundation laid by the Great
Leader, President Ilham Aliyev has crafted an unprecedented success
story for Azerbaijan. The country has eradicated poverty,
established a robust economy, formed a professional army, and
strengthened its international standing, becoming a significant
global player.


The Victorious Azerbaijani people live in an independent,
stable, and prosperous country - just as Heydar Aliyev dreamed.