Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 7
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend:
Pakistan's authoritative English-language newspaper Pakistan Observer declared Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as " Man of the Year 2013".
"On the firmament of Eurasia, a new bright star is born," Pakistan Observer founder and editor-in-chief Zahid Malik wrote. "He is Ilham Heydar Oglu Aliyev. Elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the third 5-year consecutive term on October 9, 2013 he has emerged as a role model, he is being hailed as "Man of the Year 2013."
Malik met H.E. Mr. Ilham Heydar Oglu Aliyev in his Presidential Office in Baku on April 6, 2005 and was impressed in all respects.
"The president was grateful to Pakistan for her forthright and categorical support on Nagorno Karabakh and since then I have been keenly following the way H.E. Ilham Heydar Oglu Aliyev has taken Azerbaijan to an enviable position in all respects," he wrote.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has witnessed rapid development in all spheres of life, comparable with developed countries. Development of a democratic polity and socio-economic progress ensuring welfare of the people of Azerbaijan and pursuit of an enlightened balanced foreign policy promoting sustainable just peace and cooperation in the region and beyond, have been the hallmark of his rule, according to the article.
"This achievement makes H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev as a role-model leader for the entire region," he wrote.
The modern day Azerbaijan is relatively a young country. After getting liberated from the 70-year yoke of the Soviet rule in 1991 , the country under the charismatic seasoned leadership of late President Heydar Aliyev, embarked upon rediscovering its democratic roots and traditions, according to the article.
"Ilham Aliyev's successive thrice election as the Country's President with massive majority support bespeak of the popular support he enjoys," the author wrote.
The fairness of elections has been attested by impartial observers from multiple prestigious international organizations including UN, OIC, OSCE, CIS and the Black Sea Cooperation Organization, according to the article.
Ever since the signing of the " Contract of Century" with Western oil companies for exploration of offshore reserves of the Caspian Sea in 1994, the country has not looked back, according to the article.
The upsurge in hydrocarbon production has been accompanied by laying down of extensive
transportation network system : Baku- Tbilisi- Ceyhan and Baku- Tbilisi-Erzurum oil pipelines with Trans Anatolian ( TANAP) and Trans Adriatic ( TAP) pipelines to come on line shortly, according to the article.
With the commissioning of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway link Azerbaijan will undoubtedly become a main transport hub, linking Central Asia via Azerbaijan to Europe, according to the article.
"Newly constructed power stations all across Azerbaijan have not only ensured the country's long term electric energy security but made possible to export it to the neighbouring countries as well," he wrote.
"Azerbaijan has also become a leading regional investor, financing multi-billion dollars projects in different countries," according to the article.
"In Azerbaijan's foreign policy, its relations with Pakistan enjoy a special place," the author wrote.
Building on the solid foundation of centuries old bonds of common faith and culture and shared history and heritage, their bilateral ties are marked by extreme cordiality and friendship, deep solidarity and mutual support, the author wrote.
"Pakistan has extended unqualified support to Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia on Nagorno Karabakh, while Azerbaijan has always lent strong endorsement to Pakistan's principled stand on Kashmir," according to the article.
"President Ilham Aliyev takes keen interest in the development of sports and the Olympic movement," he wrote.
"Ilham Aliyev is passionately working to serve the "land of Fire"-Azerbaijan-and its
people and to promote peace, harmony and cooperation in the region and beyond," according to the article.
"No wonder this outstanding leader has earned the distinction of "Man of the Year 2013","according to the article.
