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President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Biography
Ilham Heydar ogli Aliyev was born in December 24, 1961 in the city of Baku.
From 1967 till 1977 he studied in elementary and secondary schools in the city of Baku.
After graduating from secondary school in 1977, he entered Moscow State University of International Relations (MSUIR).
Upon graduation in 1982, he entered a post-graduate course at MSUIR.
After graduating from the University in 1985, he received a Master's degree in History and International Relations.
From 1985 till 1990 he was a teacher at MSUIR.
From 1991 to 1994 he was engaged in private commercial activity in Moscow and Istanbul.
In May 1994 he became first vice-president of State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR),
From 1995 until the present time he has been a member of the parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In December 1999 he was elected to the post of Deputy Chairman, then in 2001 - First Deputy Chairman, of the "Yeni Azerbaijan" party. (governing political party of the Republic).
From 1997 he has been president of National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a post that he continues to hold.
In January 2003 he was elected vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Bureau member.
In accordance with Milli Majlis decree dated August 4, 2003, he was appointed to the post of Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on October 15, 2003.
He is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian, English and French.
He has a son and two daughters.
General Information
Location: The Republic of Azerbaijan lies in the borderlands of Asia and Europe. It is situated in the south-eastern part of the Southern Caucasus and shares borders in the north with the Russian Federation, in the south with the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the west with Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, and in the east its neighbors across the Caspian Sea are Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Country Name:Azərbaycan Respublikası(Republic of Azerbaijan)
Capital:Bakı(in USSR Baku) with a population of 1 811 000 (according to 2006 census)
State Language: Azerbaijani
Religion: Religion is separated from the State and all religions are equal before the law
Population:The population is 8 436 000 people (January, 2006)
Monetary Unit: Manat (1 US $ = 0.9170 manat as at January, 2006)
National Holidays
January 1 - New Year
March 8 - Women's Day
March 20-21 - Novruz bayramı(Celebration of Spring)
May 9 - Day of Victory over Fascism
May 28 - Republic Day
June 15 - National Salvation Day
June 26 - Armed Forces Day
October 18 - National Independence Day
November 12 - Constitution Day
November 17 - National Revival Day
December 31 - Day of Solidarity of Azerbaijanis throughout the World
Qurban bayramı(Thanksgiving-Offering Day) andRamazan bayramı(End of Fasting) - The dates of celebration of these religious holidays are changed every year in accordance with the lunar calendar.
Memorable Days:
January 20 - Day of Shehids' (Martyrs) Remembrance
February 26 - Day of Khojali Remembrance
March 31 - Genocide of Azerbaijanis'
Territory
Area: 86,600 sq km
Length of Land Boundaries: 2,646 km
Borders with Neighbouring Countries: Armenia - 1007 km, Georgia - 480 km, Iran - 756 km, Russia - 390 km, Turkey - 13 km
Administrative Division
Autonomous Republic
Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası(Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic)
Regions: The Republic of Azerbaijan consists 65 regions, 69 cities, 13 urban regions, 130 settlements of urban type and 4354 rural settlements.
Abşeron, Ağcabədi, Ağdam, Ağdaş, Ağstafa, Ağsu, Astara, Balakən, Beyləqan, Bərdə, Biləsuvar, Cəbrayıl, Cəlilabad, Daşkəsən, Dəvəçi, Fizuli, Gədəbəy, Goranboy, Göyçay, Hacıqabul, Xaçmaz, Xanlar, Xızı, Xocalı, Xocavənd, İmişli, İsmayıllı, Kəlbəcər, Kürdəmir, Qax, Qazax, Qəbələ, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadlı, Qusar, Laçın, Lerik, Lənkəran, Masallı, Neftçala, Oğuz, Saatlı, Sabirabad, Salyan, Samux, Siyəzən, Şamaxı, Şəki, Şəmkir, Şuşa, Tərtər, Tovuz, Ucar, Yardımlı, Yevlax, Zaqatala, Zəngilan, Zərdab
Major Cities
Bakı, Əli Bayramlı, Gəncə, Xankəndi, Lənkəran, Mingəçevir, Naftalan, Sumqayıt, Şəki, Şuşa, Yevlax
Government
1.1. Form of Government:Azerbaijanian state is democratic, legal, secular, unitary republic. State power is based on the principle of division of powers: Milli Majlis (Parliament) exercises legislative power; executive power belongs to the President; and law courts exercise judicial power.
1.2. Legislative Power: Milli Majlis - one chamber body comprising 125 deputies, elected by direct elections for a 5 year term.
1.3. Executive Power
1.3.1. Head of State:The President of the Azerbaijan Republic is the Head of the Azerbaijanian state. The President is elected for a 5-year term by way of general, direct and equal elections, with free, personal and secret ballot. Executive power in the Azerbaijan Republic belongs to the President.
1.3.2. Head of Government:The President by consent of Milli Majlis appoints Prime-minister. For implementation of executive powers the President establishes Cabinet of Ministers. Cabinet of Ministers is subordinate to the President and reports to him.
1.4. Judicial Power:Judicial power in Azerbaijan is implemented by law courts. Judicial power is implemented through the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, ordinary and other specialized law courts.
Constitution
Following a referendum on November 12, 1995, the new Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan was adopted and entered into force on December 5, 1995. The country's basic law was developed in line with the fundamental principles and norms of international law.
Continuing the centuries' long traditions of statehood, and taking as a basis the principles expressed in the Constitutional Act "On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan", desiring to provide prosperity and welfare for the whole society and each individual, wishing to establish freedom and security, understanding the responsibility before the past, present and future generations, using the right of its sovereignty the Constitution declares solemnly its following intentions:
- Protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- Provide a democratic system within the framework of the Constitution;
- Achieve the establishment of a civil society;
- Build a secular state based on the rule of law as an expression of the will of the nation;
- Provide worthy living standards for everybody in conformity with just economic and social order;
- Remain faithful to universal human values, to live in friendship, peace and freedom with all the nations of the world and cooperate with them for this purpose.
As stipulated by article 1 of the Constitution, "In the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani people shall be the sole source of State power".
Under article 2 of the Constitution, the people of Azerbaijan shall exercise their sovereign right directly through nationwide voting (referendums) and through representatives elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by free, secret and personal ballot.
Article 7 of the Constitution stipulates that the Azerbaijani State shall be a democratic, constitutional, secular and unitary republic. In Azerbaijan, the power of the State shall be restricted in domestic matters only by the country's law and, in foreign affairs, only by the provisions arising from international treaties to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party. State power in the Republic of Azerbaijan shall be based on the principle of the division of powers among legislative, executive and judicial branches of power. Pursuant to the Constitution, the legislature, executive and judiciary shall interact with one another and be independent within their various jurisdictions.
FOREIGN POLICY
FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN
· Promotion of the establishment of pluralistic democracy based on market economy and the rule of law;
· Conduct of an independent foreign policy aimed at the soonest restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan over its territory;
· Elimination of threats and risks to the security, political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan;
· Peaceful settlement of the conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan through negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group on the basis of the principles of the OSCE Lisbon Summit;
· Elimination of the consequences of military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan;
· Development of good-neighbourly and mutually advantageous relations with neighbouring countries;
· Promotion of security and stability in the region;
· Prevention of illegal arms and other transfers in the region;
· Adherence to existing global non-proliferation regimes and establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Southern Caucasus;
· Demilitarization of the Caspian Sea basin;
· Integration into European and Transatlantic security and cooperation structures, including NATO, EU, WEU, CE;
· Facilitation of the development of various sectors of the country's economy with due consideration of Azerbaijan's crucial geostrategic location at the crossroads between the East and West;
· Development of the Eurasian Transport Corridor of which Azerbaijan is a part.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
AZERBAIJANIN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA
Azerbaijan is a member of 32 International and regional organizations: UN (March 1992), Council of Europe (March 2001), CSCE (January 1992), CIS (September 1993), Organization of Islamic Conference (1992), Council of Europe (status of special observer, June 1996), European Union (Agreement on partnership and cooperation, 1996), OEC (Organization of Economic Cooperation, 1992), Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (1992), European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (1992), World Bank (1992), UNESCO, UNICEF, World Health Organization, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC), Interpol, the International Olympic Committee, etc.
Conceptual basis of Foreign policy of Azerbaijan aims to preserve and strengthen national independence and territorial integrity, develop equal mutually beneficiary relations, establish friendly links with all countries of the world. Among the prior tendencies are the relations with Eurasian neighbors including CIS countries, bordering states, traditional European trade partners as well as leading world states, members of Security Council, countries of Islamic and Turkic world. The better part of diplomatic effort of Azerbaijan is focused on the search for ways to regulate the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Four resolutions (822, 853, 874, 884) were adopted by the UN Security Council demanding release and return of all refugees to the places of their settlements on the territories of Azerbaijan that are still under Armenian occupation. The UN 39th session of the Commission on Women adopted the resolution demanding the release of all women hostages captured during armed conflicts.
The visits of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Heydar Aliyev to UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Turkey, China, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia were to implement the foreign policy of Azerbaijan. While signing the agreement "Partnership for Peace" in headquarters of NATO in Brussels, Heydar Aliyev explained the concept of Azerbaijan diplomacy in the following way: "Having taken the decision to sign the treaty we hope not only to acquire peace and stability in this region but also to bring our people in contact with values of western democracy, to create new conditions for active collaboration with all countries of world countries". Azerbaijan participated in the work of the international summits - "People Settlements and Development" in Cairo, and "Social Development" in Copenhagen, "Women's Issues" in Beijing, "Human Settlements" (Habitat II) in Istanbul and also in regional and subregional meetings, conferences, congresses, and exhibitions.
The Republic has signed a number of international agreements and treaties, joined such important conventions as Convention on Children Rights, Convention on the Liquidation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
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