Azerbaijan, Baku, May 3 / Trend A.Badalova/
By establishing an independent foreign policy, National leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev was able to elevate the country's status as an important global player, Caspian Group Holdings CEO Rob Sobhani told Trend in an interview.
Caspian Group is a multidisciplinary group of companies with broad international business interests in the field of energy.
"By allowing major powers to participate in Azerbaijan's oil exploration and development, Heydar Aliyev created mutually beneficial relations with European countries, Russia, Turkey and the U.S.," said Sobhani, who in the early 90's, played an important role in the process of negotiations on oil projects in Azerbaijan, involving the U.S. companies.
Sobhani stressed that Heydar Aliyev made Azerbaijan an important country in the eyes of the West, who began to see Azerbaijan as indispensable to Western security interests.
"Heydar Aliyev met with almost all important global players who in one way or another affected international security - and through those meetings guaranteed a place for Azerbaijan at the international arena," Sobhani said.
According to Sobhani, U.S.-Azerbaijan relations emerged to a new level under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev.
"His meetings with Bill Clinton and George W. Bush cemented relations with the U.S. His numerous meetings with Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin and Suleyman Demirel elevated the status of Azerbaijan within Europe," Sobhani stressed.
Azerbaijan's rise in international affairs and its role as a major actor owes much to the policies of Heydar Aliyev, Sobhani added.
Recalling the personal character of the National Leader of Azerbaijan, Sobhani said that Heydar Aliyev was a leader of consequence.
According to Sobhani, even though he was a very knowledgeable man, Heydar Aliyev was always learning and asking questions.
Sobhani also stressed that Heydar Aliyev helped define the identity of Azerbaijan in the post-Soviet era by emphasizing its rich history, culture, music and sense of worth.
Sobhani said that he was honored to have a meeting with Heydar Aliyev everytime he visited Baku.
Sharing his memories, Sobhani stressed that Heydar Aliyev attached special attention to the improvement of the health care level in the country.
In particular, upon the instructions of Heydar Aliyev, Sobhani could involve the oil companies operating in Azerbaijan, in covering the costs for immunizing most children under age 5 in the country.
"This was a man who loved his people," Sobhani stressed.
The legacy of Heydar Aliyev is being kept alive by his son, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Sobhani said.
Sobhani believes that Ilham Aliyev also plays a great role in strengthening relations between Baku and Washington.
"One of Ilham Aliyev's most important first meetings was with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington. At that meeting President Bush thanked Azerbaijan for the role it played in fighting terrorism and also for country's constructive role in world energy markets," Sobhani said.
According to Sobhani, another major and important contribution of President Ilham Aliyev - one that the people of Azerbaijan need to know - is that he has defended the role of Azerbaijan in world affairs.
"Now, as a result, Washington, Moscow, Paris, London, Ankara and Tehran view Azerbaijan as an equal," Sobhani said.
"Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have distinguished Azerbaijan through its history, culture and heritage, and that is also very important", Sobhani said.
"Today thanks to the President and First Lady, the world knows Azerbaijan as a distinct country, where tradition and modernity meet," Sobhani stressed.
According to Sobhani, economic development under President Ilham Aliyev has led Azerbaijan into one of the fastest growing economies of the world.
"The standard of living of people of Azerbaijan has improved tremendously under his leadership. In the early 90's, unemployment was a problem but today most Azerbaijanis who want to work find a job. And equally important, President Aliyev has diversified the economy from dependence on oil to other sectors like tourism, telecommunications, infrastructure and a knowledge-based economy," Sobhani stressed.
"Today as a result of Ilham Aliyev's efforts Azerbaijan is known around the world as a country with religious tolerance and respect for other faiths, modernity but at the same time with preservation of heritage and a dynamic modern society," Sobhani added.