President Ilham Aliyev attended an annual general meeting of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) on Tuesday, Azerbaijani President's official website reported.
Prior to the meeting, the Head of State familiarized himself with improvements and rebuilding works around the building of the Academy.
President of ANAS Mahmud Karimov informed the Head of State about reconstruction work carried out in the scientific and research institutions of the Academy. President Ilham Aliyev was told the reconstruction works here started in 2007 and all necessary conditions had been created for scientific workers.
The Head of State viewed photos reflecting previous state of the building.
Then, President Ilham Aliyev participated in the annual meeting of ANAS.
The meeting started with opening remarks of Mahmud Karimov. He said the President's participation in the opening ceremony of one of the unique architectural masterpieces of Baku - the building of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences after major repair and reconstruction work and the presence at the annual general meeting of the Academy, which is regarded as a significant event, is welcomed by the country's scientific community with a feeling of enormous gratitude.
"Most of the research institutes of ANAS are located in this building, built in 1960s based on the design of the outstanding architect, academician Mikail Useynov. This building has served as the temple of science in our country for a long period. According to your special instruction, major repair and reconstruction work was started in this grand building in late 2007. And now, the building that combines elements of classical architecture and modern architectural style, has been given to disposal of scientists," he said.
President Ilham Aliyev made speech at the event.The President thanked scientists for the invitation . "Today, an annual general meeting of the academy is being held. I am confident that the meeting will be very successful, and very valuable opinions on further development of the Azerbaijani science will be voiced here. Excellent renovation has been carried out in the Academy building. A great job has been done in a short period, and as I know, repair work is underway in other buildings of the Academy. Conditions created here meet the highest level. In general, concrete steps are taken to strengthen logistics base of the Academy. This policy will further continue. We must make sure that all needs of the Academy were met, and its logistics base further was strengthened," Aliyev said.
He said the Academy brings together Azerbaijan's intellectual elite. "Development of the Academy directly influences the development of science in Azerbaijan. If to consider experience of developed countries, we can see that their success is based on the idea, thought, innovation, scientific and technical progress. Carrying out reforms in various spheres in our country, we also give preference to modernization. Building a modern state is impossible without developing science. Heydar Aliyev's policy is progressing in all directions in Azerbaijan, and it appears on the state's attitude towards science. It is no coincidence that much attention is paid to strengthening the material-technical base of the Academy. At the same time concrete steps are taken to expand the Academy's activity and to coordinate scientific researches with the economy and our economic policy," Aliyev said.
The National Strategy and State Program on the Development of Science were adopted in 2009, after which the Fund for Science Development was founded, he said. "This Fund acts in solving modern equipment procurement, but also proving various grants to promote scientific researches in Azerbaijan," he added.
Azerbaijan as an independent state pursues a successful policy, he said. "Our country is developing. This development is reflected in all directions. Of course, the development of science must be coordinated with the general development pace. Unity of science, higher education and economy should be created in Azerbaijan. For us, the main issue, related to development of science, is the right choice of priorities. Specific proposals should be made so that we could build our work on these priorities. At all times, our scientists have made valuable contributions to Azerbaijan's development in different directions. Of course, today, there is a big need to increase scientific potential in terms of development and strengthening of our independence. I'd like once again stress that Azerbaijani scientists have said their word in various fields.
Researches carried out in Azerbaijan at the global level also have a positive impact. Our geologist scientists have invaluable merits in opening the country's natural resources. Today, these natural resources strengthen our country's independence and significantly condition our opportunities of pursuing an independent policy. Oil, discovered in the Caspian Sea for the first time in the world in the mid-20th century, serves to independent Azerbaijan now. Thanks to the successful oil policy pursued in Azerbaijan today we are able to fully ensure our energy security. We very efficiently use our natural resources. We make efforts to resolve the energy security issues in Europe. Today, Azerbaijan is one of the most important partners in ensuring Europe's energy security," the President said.
The challenges facing Azerbaijan's economy today must be directly related to the development of science, he said. "Now we are working on the construction of a large petrochemical complex. There are great prospects in the petrochemical industry. If we take into account that our country has always a very strong scientific school in this direction, it will increase our economic power, lead to opening new jobs. I think today our scientists should work in this field in coordination with relevant state agencies. Azerbaijani government is given the relevant instructions to involve the Azerbaijani science in this industry," Aliyev added.He said the country pays a serious attention to food security issues. "As you know, a single national economic complex existed in the Soviet times. The Soviet government regulated these issues. At a time of independence, particularly when facing food difficulties caused by natural disasters, we must ensure our food security through domestic opportunities. Work is underway on this issue. Provision of support to the enterprise development, allocation of loans and private sector development in Azerbaijan, these all are aimed to achieve the same goal to completely meet our food security. I believe we should provide ourselves with basic food products in next two or three years and also create a powerful export potential. Therefore, the development of agricultural science and its coordination with economic development is of particular importance. I believe concrete steps should be taken to establish the agricultural branch of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences. We need to create this department wasting no time and it should begin active work. Thus, if these issues find a solution, then, I think it would give impetus to the Azerbaijani science development and orders will be received. Orders must come from the state and private sector. Our scientists will work on the basis of these orders. If, one takes into account that Azerbaijan will continue to provide financial support for the science development, we can successfully achieve its development," Aliyev said.
Today, Aliyev said, Azerbaijan pursues a modernization policy. "This policy is reflected in all directions. Particularly, our steps related to scientific and technological progress target the future. Perhaps, we voice initiatives that are not typical for a young independent country. Azerbaijan records a process of creating the space industry. I am confident that this process will proceed rapidly. This is our public policy. I think the industry will get an even bigger boost following the launch of the first telecommunications satellite into the orbit. Azerbaijan will have a powerful space industry. Azerbaijani science should also support these initiatives. Of course, international relations must play their role in this. The level of cooperation with world leading research centers should be higher, because I think that our capabilities in this area do not correspond to our desires yet. In general, it is necessary to carry out more extensive cooperation with international research centers," President Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan 's achievements in information and communications sector are obvious, he said. "The country made great strides in a short period of time. Today, Azerbaijan occupies one of the first places in the CIS on ICT. But our task does not limit with this. That is, we want Azerbaijan to be in the forefront on a global scale on the ICT development. The state provides support, financial provision, and when the negotiations on loan issuing fail with international financial institutions, the Azerbaijani state mobilizes its own financial capacity," Aliyev stressed.
"We are creating a military-industrial complex. I can say we have created it in a short period of time. Today, Azerbaijan produces 430 items of military products and the figure will be even higher in the future. Moreover, we expand our cooperation with famous international companies, and import new technology. Azerbaijan produces world-class products now. Given that we must constantly strengthen our military power and that the army building process in Azerbaijan is going on at high rates, one can see a great demand. We live in a state of war, so the state pays great attention to these matters and provides their financing. I believe Azerbaijani scientists should prove themselves in this direction," Aliyev said.
President Aliyev stressed that issues related to the historical sciences are constantly in the spotlight. "We pay a great attention to this issue. I am very pleased that our historians create a basic, very solid work. In particular, the existence of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict dictates us to give more attention to this area, since this region's history is constantly falsified and distorted by the Armenians. I am glad that our scientists have positively responded to my call and have created a beautiful and fact-based works about the history of this region in a short period of time. Works, related to the history of Irevan khanate, are of particular importance, as the global community, unfortunately, did not know that the current Armenian state emerged in the historical Azerbaijani lands. With initiatives, references to the history, and concrete facts and arguments we have justified our position - the Azerbaijani state handed over Irevan, as the capital of Armenia, in 1918. Most of the Irevan khanate's population was Azerbaijanis. Zangezur region is an ancient land of Azerbaijan, and it was artificially given to Armenia. The Zangezur region's transfer to Armenia is a great injustice. A part of our native land was annexed to Armenia. This led to negative consequences. This dismembered the entire Turkic world. Today the Turkic world is split geographically. Of course, we are trying and will try to unite the Turkic world, unite political interests and implement more multilateral cooperation in the economic sphere through political moves, economic initiatives, summits of the Turkic states. Here I would like to note the activities of TURKSOY. But still the Turkic world is split from a geographical point of view. The world should see the whole historical truth. Not only the country itself, but the world must be aware of this. Therefore, the publication of these books in foreign languages is of a special importance," Aliyev said.
Aliyev said most of the toponyms of the current Armenian territory are of the Azerbaijani origin. These are the names of towns and villages. "It can be seen in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia reflects the names of Armenian villages and old versions of these names. We need to know it all. Today, the Armenian state voices territorial claims against us." Our lands are under occupation. The Nagorno-Karabakh is occupied. The Nagorno-Karabakh is a native land of Azerbaijan. Armenian propaganda is carried out against us throughout the world. We must bring the truth about the fact that the Khankendi city is not Stepanakert but Khankendi. The city was named after the leader of Shaumyan's bandit squad, Stepanakert. I have repeatedly said that if this settlement had a historical name, then Armenians would have restored it. This is our land. Scientific research and scientific papers, books are very important. I am very pleased that the work is underway in this direction. We must further strengthen and upgrade our work in this area. Not only our scientists should be actively involved in these issues, but also, I think the public through the Internet. Given that the truth and historical justice are on our side, then it is necessary both for now and the future," Aliyev said.
Photos - Azerbaijani President's official site
