Ilham Aliyev: They need us, not we them (UPDATED)

President Ilham Aliyev stated  about  "dirty campaign"  launched in the West against Azerbaijan. In his view, on the eve of important international events, this campaign is further enhanced. "Some  hypocritical Western politicians, congressmen,  whose welfare is due to  the Armenian money,  Islamophobic declared war against Azerbaijan. The basis of this  is envy and evil intentions. Unfortunately, in Europe, raise the head fascism, racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia,  and anti-Semitism. That is, it is directed not only against the Muslims. But there are forces that do not want the development of high-Muslim country. Patrons  of the residues of the  fifth column in Azerbaijan  also attack us," Aliyev said on 13  July at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. He also pointed to the fierce information war against Azerbaijan on the eve of European Games.

However, according to Aliyev, this information war won the Azerbaijani people and state. "This campaign has shown that no external force can affect our will,"  said Aliyev. He spoke very harshly about the discussions on Azerbaijan held on the eve of the opening  the Games  in  the European Parliament, and the German Bundestag, which passed a special resolution on the results of hearings.

"What does Bundestag  wants from us? What they think they are? Are they  the rulers of the world, if all must obey them? Our relationship with them  are distanced, we  want nothing form them. Instead,  they need our gas, contracts, oil, our activities in this geography," said Aliyev. He also condemned the latest critical PACE resolution on Azerbaijan.

At the same time Aliyev said that the leaders of major European countries at official meetings urge him to ignore the criticism from international organizations. "They say, do not pay attention. We do not pay attention. If we pay attention, we would do what they say. These resolutions are a piece of paper for us. Nobody will  execute them," said Aliyev.

It is impossible to speak the language of dictatorship with Azerbaijan, Aliyev said. -06D-

2015 July 13 (Monday) 17:50:31

In the first half  of 2015 the Azerbaijan's economy grew by 5.7 percent,  and in the non-oil sector by 9 percent; the industrial production increased by four percent. These statistics unveiled  President Ilham Aliyev at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. Inflation in this period was 3.5 per cent, incomes of the population grew by 6.2 per cent, agricultural production - 7.3 percent. In the first half of the year  12.7 billion mantas have been invested.

Aliyev believes that  these results have been achieved against a background of "unpleasant processes in different parts of the world." In particular, he pointed to the "continuing clashes in the Middle East", "deep economic and moral crisis in Europe."

Aliyev  also said that Azerbaijan would continue relations with all international organizations, including the European Union "on an equal basis", guided by national interests. -06D—

2015 July 13 (Monday) 13:53:43

On July 13 President Ilham Aliyev chaired a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on the results of the socioeconomic development in the first half of 2015.

The head of state opened the meeting and delivered a closing speech. The speakers at the meeting were the Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov, the Minister of Communications and High Technologies Ali Abbasov, and the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Salim Muslimov. -03D04-