Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

A national conference devoted to Azerbaijan's late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev and his role in the country's development started at the Azerbaijan Teachers Institute in Baku (ATI) on Monday.

The national conference, "Heydar Aliyev heritage and modern development policy of Azerbaijan", was dedicated to the rich heritage, the unique personality and immense talent of the statesman, architect and builder of the Azerbaijani state, well-known politician and a great son of the Turkic world, AzerTac state news agency reported. The event was jointly organized by ATI and the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Law of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

The Azerbaijani people commemorate national leader Heydar Aliyev on the ninth anniversary of his death on Wednesday, December 12.

Heydar Aliyev led Azerbaijan for 30 years and left an indelible mark on the country`s history.

Aliyev`s merits include strengthening Azerbaijan`s independence and sovereignty, economic growth and the country`s participation in projects of a global scale, the peace process on settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Armenia and the strengthening of the Azerbaijani Diaspora. His multi-faceted political activity had given a powerful incentive to Azerbaijan`s comprehensive development and set the course for its irreversible ascent.

Biography

Aliyev was born in Nakhchivan on May 10, 1923. A graduate of the Azerbaijan State University history department, he held high posts in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in 1941-1944. He started working for security agencies in the 1940s and acted as Chairman of the State Security Committee of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1967-1969.

Aliyev headed Azerbaijan beginning in 1969. He also held top posts in the Soviet Union`s leadership from 1982 till 1987. However, in 1987, as a result of internal bickering in the USSR leadership, Aliyev resigned from his positions in the Political Bureau and the Council of Ministers.

Aliyev did his best for Azerbaijan while he worked for five years in Moscow and spoke out during the January 1990 tragedy, when hundreds of civilians were brutally slain by the Soviet troops on the streets of Baku. Aliyev courageously accused the USSR leadership of killing innocent people and demanded to punish those responsible for the killings.

He resigned from the USSR Communist Party in July 1991.

Aliyev acted as Chairman of the Nakhchivan Supreme Majlis (parliament) from 1991-1993.

His return to power in 1993 averted the threat of civil war. He was then elected president of the newly independent Azerbaijan. In October 1998 Aliyev was re-elected for another term.

Aliyev died of heart disease at the age of 80 in a hospital in Cleveland, United States on December 12, 2003.