Armen Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Baku Today, Azerbaijan Sept 26 2004 Azeri President Gave Speech at Columbia University During His Visit to New York 26/09/2004 09:36 On September 24, 2004 Columbia University in the City of New York hosted the president Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev within the framework of Second World Leaders Forum. Each fall during the United Nations General Assembly, Columbia University in the City of New York serves as a center for public debate, welcoming world leaders to its campus for a series of public lectures, roundtables and special events. The annual World Leaders Forum, attended by students, faculty and invited guests, encourages open discussion and greater understanding of the most pressing economic, political and social challenges of the present. This year presidents and prime ministers from India, Bolivia, Romania, Latvia, Mozambique and Azerbaijan, and foreign ministers from Poland, Colombia and Thailand, and former US Secretary of State Ms. Madeleine Albright were invited to the forum. During his speech Mr. Aliyev talked about the current socio-economic situation in Azerbaijan and the policies put forward to foster the rapid development of the country, especially in rural regions of Azerbaijan. He mentioned the eradication of unemployment and poverty as the top priority for the current government. He devoted the significant portion of his speech to the issues related to the settlement of the Artsax conflict between the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan. He described the miserable situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and refugees in Azerbaijan and stressed non constrictive position of Republic of Armenia in the peace negotiation process. Among 360 participants of the event many professors and students were trying to ask questions to Mr. Aliyev. Most questions were related to Artsax conflict, the way of settling it and socio-economic, political situation in Azerbaijan. Mr. President stressed the negative impact of illegal policies of establishing new settlements by Armenia in occupied Azeri territories on the resolution of Artsax conflict. Furthermore, he acknowledged the great contribution of Jewish community in Azerbaijan to the development of the country answering the question by a member of Azeri Jewish community in New York City. After the president's speech was over, he had brief meeting with the members of Columbia Azerbaijani Student Association (CASA). Mr. President was informed about the activities of CASA and its contribution to the dissemination of the realities about the Azerbaijan among Columbia University students and faculty. The members of the CASA gave a special present to the president. Mr. Aliyev highly appreciated the activities of CASA, according to CASA press release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vika182 Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Here is the article from the columbia paper: the headlines were Aliyev's Speech Laments Armenian Conflict and Aliyev Uses Armenia to Deflect Criticism... at least someone picked up on his evilness... Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, used his Low Library speech on Friday to criticize international community for ignoring Azerbaijan's ongoing territorial dispute with Armenia. The generally upbeat address was part of Columbia University's second annual World Leaders Forum. Aliyev credited foreign investment in Azerbaijan's oil and gas industries for the country's emergence from near economic collapse in the early 1990s. However, Aliyev described tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the lack of foreign intervention with a sense of urgency as he stated simply, "Patience has its limits." Aliyev, son of Azerbaijan's previous president, Haydar Aliyev, holds a Ph.D. in history from the Moscow State University of International Relations and is also a former vice president of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He came to power in October 2003 in the former Soviet state, which suffers from problems ranging from pervasive corruption and an underdeveloped economy to ethnic conflicts. Aliyev spoke of his desire to establish lasting peace and stability in a historically unstable region. His country's economic progress and swift integration into the international community after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 show possibilities for the future. He also noted that further economic and social progress within Azerbaijan depends on developing non-oil sectors of the economy, a process that requires further foreign investment. Aliyev pointed to the Armenian occupation of the Nagorno-Artsax region as a source of instability and an obstruction to foreign investment. "Twenty percent of our territory is under occupation," Aliyev said. This conflict stems from the popular desire among the Armenian majority in the Nagorno-Artsax region for self-determination. The leaders of Azerbaijan have consistently insisted on preserving territorial integrity, and between 1988 and 1994, violent conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and 1.4 million refugees. Aliyev referred to the continued occupation of the region as a "humanitarian catastrophe," and chided the U.N. for failing to enforce the resolutions that the Security Council passed in 1993 calling for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the contested region. He argued further that the legitimacy of the U.N. and of international law rides on the international community's resolve to act on its resolutions by placing sanctions on Armenia. Although Azerbaijan is committed to peaceful negotiation, Aliyev said, "negotiations cannot go on forever." To loud applause he then stated that Azerbaijan reserves the right to restore territorial sovereignty "by any means." Yet, as the late former President Heydar Aliyev admitted last year, Azerbaijan has not purchased a single tank in seven or eight years, and Armenia continues to modernize its armed forces. A highlight of the question-and-answer portion of the event was a pointed question regarding accusations that Aliyev's government has severely restricted free speech and may have even rigged last year's election. While criticizing those who would "throw stones at police," Aliyev denied any breaches of civil liberties by his administration, and he attributed his overwhelming victory with 76 percent of the popular vote to political disarray within the opposition party. He quickly refocused his response with further criticism of Armenia, arguing that the sooner the conflict can be resolved and international law upheld, the better Azerbaijan will be able to pursue economic and social reform. Guess who was the majority attending....who else would applaud a call to war.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vika182 Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 WOW, WRITTEN PROOF THAT THE AZERBAIJANI MEDIA AND THEIR STUPID PRESIDENT ARE LIARS. HE DIDNT FOCUS ON THE POVERTY OF THE AZERBAIJANI PEOPLE, AND THE QUESTIONS WERE NOT ABOUT HOW EVIL ARMENIANS ARE. THE QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT WHY HE WASNT ELECTED AND HOW HES AN ILLIGITIMATE LEADER!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 THE QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT WHY HE WASNT ELECTED AND HOW HES AN ILLIGITIMATE LEADER!!! style_images/master/snapback.png BRAVO!!! Perfectly how it should have worked... this directly attack the idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skhara Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 vika, did you attend this? your thoughts? sharka i think you missed the part of the question "can he realistically guarantee the safety of those refugees if they return" the answer to that should obveously be no IF he's honest Yep. But there is no reason to even talk about. Why would any Armenian want to live amongst Turks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/59/statements/armeng040929.pdf Guys check out Oskanian's today speach at UN General Assembly. Briliant stuff. He has said that Armenians have occupied Artsakh 2000 years ago Also, he has mentioned the Budapesht axing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armat Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/59/statements/armeng040929.pdf Guys check out Oskanian's today speach at UN General Assembly. Briliant stuff. He has said that Armenians have occupied Artsakh 2000 years ago Also, he has mentioned the Budapesht axing. style_images/master/snapback.png Great Speech.I like the way he highlighted the Karabagh conflict.He is a great FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 He is a great FM. style_images/master/snapback.png Agree. He is one of the few real professionals Armenia has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 wow - agreed - great speech! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harut Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 Agree. He is one of the few real professionals Armenia has. style_images/master/snapback.png and is a distant relative of mine. as far as the settlement of the conflict goes, i think we are stuck for another 10-15 years unless something really dramatic happens. i was listening to a new report on armenian chanal yesterday, where they were interviewing a few azeri journalists in yerevan. one of them was telling that he used to write some of the official letters from the president. he was admitting that a lot of time they wouldn't even read the proposal letters that they would get from armenia or international committies regarding the artsax conflict settlement. they would just write rejection letters. he was telling how once they even lost the proposal letter and he had to make up things without even knowing the content of the letter and write rejection letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 and is a distant relative of mine. style_images/master/snapback.png Hmmm... that explains a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 Hmmm... that explains a lot. style_images/master/snapback.png It is that unbeatable combination of pedigree. Born in Halep of Marashtsi parents!!! What else can you ask!!?? :) LTP was born in Halep as well but of Musa Leratsi parentage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormig Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 and vote for kerry style_images/master/snapback.png Really, now? http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/sep2004/lett-s28.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 It is that unbeatable combination of pedigree. Born in Halep of Marashtsi parents!!! What else can you ask!!?? :) LTP was born in Halep as well but of Musa Leratsi parentage. style_images/master/snapback.png Below a paragraph from here: http://www.proarmenia.am/eng-2003/en-Vartan_Oskanian.htm Armenia's relations with our immediate neighbors as well as with those with interests in our region, are enhanced by our rich, warm, brotherly relations with the countries of the Middle East. I myself, as so many others here, was raised with the hospitality of the Arab peoples who made way for our grandparents fleeing from sure death in the Ottoman Empire. Aleppo, Syria, my birthplace, is also the birthplace of the modern Diaspora. There, as elsewhere, our Arab neighbors provided us the space and the environment in which to pick ourselves up from doom and possible oblivion. We did, and we contributed to the making of the modern Middle East. Today, our official interstate links are not in a small way conditioned by those older people-to-people bonds borne of necessity and kindness. Our political, economic and cultural links are strong, and we anticipate that our geographic and historic proximity will lead to even deeper cooperation, especially given the presence of a grateful Diaspora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 LTP was born in Halep as well but of Musa Leratsi parentage. style_images/master/snapback.png So, your'e saying that if there wasn't for that small difference of being a Musalertsi, we would have a great President? As much as I like Oskainian (in his place) I hate LTP's gutts with all the fibres of my soul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghos Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 all the fibres of my soul. style_images/master/snapback.png That´s interesting, Armen jan...fibres in your soul...must be healthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hytga Posted October 1, 2004 Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 Yep. But there is no reason to even talk about. Why would any Armenian want to live amongst Turks? obveously not many armenians would want to go back, but whenthe question is asked it puts azeris in a difficult position, because if they answer no then you can point out thier double standards. if they answer yes, then they either have to compensate people for their apartments or let them back. but they can't let them back because they don't want to and they can't guarantee their security and freedom for economic development Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harut Posted October 1, 2004 Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 So, your'e saying that if there wasn't for that small difference of being a Musalertsi, we would have a great President? As much as I like Oskainian (in his place) I hate LTP's gutts with all the fibres of my soul. style_images/master/snapback.png believe it or not, LTP is also a distant relative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.