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Azerbaijani parliament holds meeting on 20th anniversary of state independence

18 October 2011 12:08 (UTC +04:00)

The achievements and problems of Azerbaijan occurred in the past 20 years were on agenda. According to APA, first vice speaker of the parliament Ziyafat Asgarov spoke about the history of Azerbaijani statehood. Touching upon the problems Azerbaijan faced in the period of regaining independence in 1991, Asgarov reminded that as a result of influence of outside forces, the country was on the verge of collapse. Using this situation Armenia was extending occupation of Azerbaijani lands day by day. â€œHeydar Aliyev saved the state independence of Azerbaijan. He was elected the chairman of the parliament. In that period, the parliament became a tribune where the processes in the country were discussed openlyâ€.

Heydar Aliyev gave much attention to the army-building, said Asgarov and added that Azerbaijani Army struck serious blows on the enemy in the end of 1993 and beginning of 1994 and later ceasefire agreement was reached. He spoke about the activity of the parliament in the period of independence. â€œThe parliament is successfully realizing its legislative authorities for almost 16 years. The parliament has adopted more than 3200 laws and decisions since 1995. Our experience showed that parliament is a real school of democracy. Parliament strengthens democratic institutions and secures the supremacy of law. Azerbaijani parliament denounces Armeniaâ€™s aggression against Azerbaijan at the international organizations and passes relevant decisionsâ€.

MP Vahid Ahmadov noted that the independence was regained in very difficult and complicated conditions. â€œWe faced difficulties on our way to the independence. Supreme Council decided to hold referendum on saving USSR, but Nakhchivanâ€™s Supreme Council passed decision not to hold such referendum. Only 43 deputies voted for the independence during the voting at the Supreme Council in Baku. I am proud that I was among those 42 countriesâ€.

Ahmadov spoke about Azerbaijanâ€™s economic achievements during the years of independence and assessed it as a result of â€œContract of the Centuryâ€ signed in 1994: â€œBut despite 17 years have passed since the occupation, we can not achieve anything in the settlement of Karabakh conflict. I consider that Azerbaijan will liberate its lands by military way. Azerbaijan has a strong armyâ€.

Fazil Mustafa said that only one part of Azerbaijani people achieved independence, the other 35-million part of Azerbaijani people will achieve independence when the time comes. Mustafa considers that it was not necessary to vary those who voted for independence from those who didnâ€™t vote: â€œIt would be better for us to invite to the parliament the people who voted for independence in that period and now are in radical opposition. It would be positive step to grant presidential stipend to those, who voted for the independence, and to their familiesâ€.

Mustafa also added that Azerbaijan must sensitively approach the case of Nuru Pasha who liberated Baku from occupation: â€œHe must be assessed worthilyâ€.
Chairperson of the parliamentâ€™s committee for human rights Rabiyyat Aslanova underlined that Azerbaijan began to become a social state within the past 20 years.
â€œNow we are new people. We are not the people, who 20 years ago did not hope for the future,â€ she said.

Igbal Agazadeh said celebration of the 20th anniversary of Azerbaijanâ€™s independence is a success in itself.
â€œI wish we could take back Azerbaijani territories through establishing peace and society of reconciliation in the country. I wish Istiglal order were conferred on those who played a role in the independence in 1991, there were authority-opposition union that could solve all the problems around the table.

Igbal Agazadeh asked President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, MP Mehriban Aliyeva to offer amnesty for prisoners.
â€œPolitical prisoners, including Arif Hajili, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and Jabbar Savalan, also the life-term prisoners should be released,â€ he said.

Ganira Pashayeva said hundreds of peoples in the world have no independent states.
â€œBut Azerbaijanis have an independent state. I remember those times very well. We were young, students. We could not hope for the future. But present Azerbaijani youth have hopes for the future. I call on our compatriots all over the world to do their best for the strengthening of Azerbaijan. Alongside with those who accept Azerbaijanâ€™s independence, development, there are those who do not want it. The young people must learn our past and play a role in the development of our country.

Chairman of the parliamentâ€™s committee for legal policy and state-building Ali Huseynli said no other Soviet republic had so many losses as Azerbaijan had, which gained its independence early in the 90s.
â€œOur people will not forgive those who caused these losses. Even if we forgive them, the spirits of our martyrs will not forgive them,â€ he said.

Parliamentarians Rafael Jabrayilov, Elton Mammadov, Fazail Ibrahimli, Jala Aliyeva, Siyavush Novruzov also spoke about the countryâ€™s achievements in the period of independence.