May 28 marks the 103rd anniversary of the establishment of the national state in a part of the divided historical lands of Azerbaijan. This year's Republic Day is different from previous ones. For the first time compared to last year, Azerbaijani citizens will not wish each other the liberation of Karabakh.
The occupation of Karabakh has hindered the development and security of Azerbaijan and the region for many years. In the coming years, construction work will continue in this territory of Azerbaijan, which has been liberated from the occupation by Armenia and its supporters. The return of residents to the region is not far off. Therefore, in the coming years, Karabakh and the liberated lands will also participate in the region's development. This territory of Azerbaijan, which previously threatened security due to the Armenian occupation, will now act as a guarantor of peace, understanding, prosperity, and tranquility. Because Karabakh and surrounding regions are Azerbaijan!
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic is one of the first states in the Muslim world and one of the first democratic states in the East. After the occupation on April 28, 1920, they tried to live this state down. But true justice has found its place. For 31 years, Azerbaijan has been celebrating Republic Day unofficially and officially. After the collapse of the USSR in December 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan declared itself the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, and the country's independence was restored.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland addressed a letter to President Ilham Aliyev praising Azerbaijan's fight against COVID-19: "On the special occasion of your National Day, I would like to convey to Your Excellency my congratulations, together with my best wishes to the people of Azerbaijan. After this difficult year, I hope we may look forward to overcoming global health challenges and to better times in the future."
In his congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China stressed the deepening cooperation on the "Belt and Road" joint project and the significant results achieved in the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic: "The China-Azerbaijan relations are experiencing dynamic progress. Our countries support each other on issues of mutual interest. The cooperation between our countries as part of the joint 'Belt and Road' project continues to deepen; considerable results have been achieved in the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. I attach special importance to the development of China-Azerbaijan relations. I am ready to make joint efforts together with you to ensure the further development of our friendly relations and cooperation to the benefit of our countries and peoples."
The Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen said in his congratulatory letter: "At a time when this world is facing challenges, I convey to you my personal best wishes for personal well-being, as well as a happy and peaceful future for the people of Azerbaijan." In a congratulatory letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented problem for all: "I want to acknowledge that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge to us all. I wish you, your government, and the people of Azerbaijan strength, courage, and health as together we continue our efforts to overcome coronavirus." King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden sent a letter to President Ilham Aliyev wishing success to the head of state and Azerbaijan. In a letter to President Ilham Aliyev, King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud wished the President and Azerbaijan development and prosperity. President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said in a congratulatory letter to the President of Azerbaijan: "Taking this good opportunity, I would like to express my appreciation of the ties of friendship and cooperation binding our two sisterly countries, looking forward to further enhancing these ties at all levels for the mutual benefit of our two brotherly peoples." In his letters, President of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum wished President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijan prosperity and progress.
Azerbaijan and Georgia had similar destinies when they were established and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this regard, the congratulatory letter of the President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev touched upon the relations between the two countries: "To regain the statehood, the Georgian and Azerbaijani people faced many challenges and tragedies, however, today our countries proudly continue building strong and free states. I avail myself of this opportunity and once again confirm my readiness to strengthen the existing partnership and friendly relations between our countries. I hope that I will have the opportunity to host you in Georgia in the near future to set new ways to deepen our strategic partnership jointly."
The launch of the Southern Gas Corridor last year and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on joint exploration and development of the Caspian field with Turkmenistan this year are Azerbaijan's contribution to Europe's energy diversification. Addressing a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, the heads of state and influential statesmen also spoke about their joint efforts with Azerbaijan on security, energy, and democratic governance. In this regard, the letter sent by US President Joseph Biden to President Ilham Aliyev pays special attention to the following issues: "The United States strongly supports Azerbaijan's important contributions to European energy diversification with last year's launch of the Southern Gas Corridor and this year's memorandum of understanding on joint exploration of the Caspian with Turkmenistan." President Biden also spoke about Azerbaijan's mission in Afghanistan: "We are grateful for Azerbaijan's 20 years of support for NATO's mission in Afghanistan and efforts to combat terrorism." Referring to the issue of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the conflict, the US leader said: "As a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, we remain committed to helping the sides negotiate a long-term political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. After a year marked by conflict and the coronavirus pandemic, it is my sincere hope that Azerbaijan emerges from these challenges a more prosperous nation that respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its people and lives at peace with its neighbors." Note that Joseph Biden also spoke about the importance of Azerbaijan in his congratulatory message to President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Novruz holiday on March 18: "My Administration will work with Azerbaijan to address common security concerns and regional reconciliation. As a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, we remain committed to helping the sides find a peaceful and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to promoting reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future. We also support your efforts to diversify your economy and develop energy opportunities in the Caspian. The United States looks forward to exploring new opportunities for economic cooperation."
President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Singapore Halimah Yacub, King of Morocco VI Mohammed, President of the Republic of Colombia Iván Duque Márquez, and President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez stressed their desire to continue strengthening friendly and cooperative relations between Azerbaijan and their countries.
The First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan-Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev said in a letter to President Ilham Aliyev: Noting your leadership and significant contributions towards the socio-economic development of the brotherly Azerbaijan and advancement of its prestige in the international arena, I wish you every success in your activities aimed at bringing your country to greater heights. I am confident that based on common spiritual values and friendship, as well as the strategic partnership, the comprehensive and mutually beneficial relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan will continue developing for the prosperity of our two countries' peoples.
The congratulatory letters also touched upon the past conflict in Azerbaijan. In a letter to President Ilham Aliyev, President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote: "I hope that there will be political and diplomatic progress towards a lasting solution after the military clashes last year to the conflict in the Karabakh region. You can be sure that Germany, as a member of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, will do its best to do so." The congratulatory letter of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev also stressed the issue of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity: "We consider Azerbaijan as a country with an ancient and rich cultural heritage, a state that has achieved rapid progress in all areas thanks to your well-thought-out and far-sighted policy, effective protection of national interests and restoration of historical justice, and we are ready to support you in the future."
By the way, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who visited Baku on the eve of the 103rd anniversary of the People's Republic, also expressed support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity at a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev: "We believe and congratulate you on your historic role in the liberation of Azerbaijani lands."
Congratulatory letters are being sent to the President of Azerbaijan. The letters to Azerbaijan and its head of state confirm the growing weight and role of the country not only in the region but also in the world on the 30th anniversary of independence. The congratulatory letters emphasize that Azerbaijan is a prosperous state in defending its national interests and restoring historical justice.
So, this spring is not like the previous ones. Restoring its territorial integrity and clearing its lands of occupiers, Azerbaijan is a reliable partner for the world, an experienced state involved in ensuring security, and a leading partner in the economic and energy spheres. Happy Republic Day, free Azerbaijan!