By Azernews

By Kamila Aliyeva

A nationwide conference on the topic "Heydar Aliyev - the first Azerbaijani general of the state security bodies" was held in Baku on May 3.

The conference was organized by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the State Agency for the provision of services to citizens and social innovations under the President of Azerbaijan and the Heydar Aliyev Center.

The activity of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, has left an indelible mark in all spheres of the social and political life of the country, the head of the State Security Service, Lieutenant-General Madat Guliyev said when addressing the event.

Noting that Heydar Aliyev has created a large school for future generations, Guliyev said that the great leader devoted 25 years of his exemplary life to service in security agencies.

"During all periods of being in power, Heydar Aliyev always kept the development of security agencies in the spotlight, and attached great importance to their formation," he said.

Guliyev emphasized that during the period when Heydar Aliyev was in power, he carried out a policy of nationalization in all bodies, paid special attention to the preparation of national personnel for Azerbaijan.

"At that time, forces that tried to disable outstanding personalities of Azerbaijan along with national and spiritual values, opposed this courageous step of Heydar Aliyev. But, despite this pressure, the national leader while being the head of State Security Committee continued the policy of nationalization," he said.

Guliyev noted that during the Soviet period, Heydar Aliyev always saved socio-political figures, representatives of the intelligentsia of Azerbaijan from persecution and pressure.

"The great leader served the purpose of forming the scientific, technical and military potential of Azerbaijan," he continued.

Guliyev stressed that Heydar Aliyev carried out such important activities as preventing the surrender of the Azerbaijani lands to Armenia, the use of the national language at official events, the protection of eminent personalities and etc.

“The national leader saved Azerbaijan from the threat of fragmentation, destruction, gave impetus to broad reforms, and brought the army, law enforcement agencies and security forces in line with the requirements of the present day. The role of great leader Heydar Aliyev in the history of Azerbaijan is well known," he said.

Speaking at the event, Azerbaijani Presidential Aide Ali Hasanov said that independent and democratic Azerbaijan, which is the outstanding creation of national leader Heydar Aliyev, for which he fought, which he saved from grave tragedies, political, socio-economic and psychological crisis, today develops and achieves new successes, while the people of Azerbaijan live in conditions of safety and well-being.

"Despite the fact that officially Azerbaijan regained its independence in October 1991, in fact, the beginning of this path to independence was laid by national leader Heydar Aliyev in the 1970s.  During those years, Azerbaijan, which had been living on the subsidy of the Union republic, turned into a fully capable leading country, there was created a soil for the economic sovereignty of the country, the Azerbaijani economy was diversified, the oil production was expanded, and many plants were commissioned in the country. The transport network of Azerbaijan created in those years also plays a role in the transformation of Azerbaijan into one of the transport centers of the region and the world," Hasanov said.

Hasanov noted that Heydar Aliyev's service to the motherland and the people is considered to be a real example for each of us, especially for younger generation.

“The national leader also left us an example of the citizenship, a real politician, a true statesman in Azerbaijan. His charismatic leadership, firm will, political foresight, managerial talent, leadership of the country, global outlook were most clearly manifested in the early 1990s - during the struggle of Azerbaijan for independence and national statehood. During the period when the Azerbaijani people stood in the face of serious and fatal problems, Heydar Aliyev, thanks to his unprecedented historical merits in preserving the independent statehood, national unity of Azerbaijan, carried out a mission to save the people from the threat of destruction,” Hasanov said.

He noted that one of the greatest merits of the national leader to the Azerbaijani people is that for the first time in the political history of the country, he achieved the nationalization of security agencies.

“When Heydar Aliyev became the head of Azerbaijani security bodies, the representatives of the titular nation - Azerbaijanis among the employees were so few that they could have been counted on the fingers of one hand.

"Of course, we do not deny the job of non-Azerbaijani people who worked in this system and served Azerbaijan, on the contrary, we express our gratitude for their services. However, it is no secret that the creation of a negative image of the security system in the public consciousness as an apparatus of repression against Azerbaijanis was the result of the activities of the surnames holders in the 30s and 40s, which it is difficult even to pronounce," he said.

Hasanov stressed that with the advent of Heydar Aliyev, the security system was nationalized, and competent, professional national cadres began to be nominated while the security service became the body protecting the nation from threats that patronize the emerging national and cultural elite of the people.

The security organs played an exceptional role in the formation and preservation of the national cultural and political elite - those who contributed to the acquisition and preservation of the country's independence, in the direction of their activities in an expedient way.

First of all, this is the result of the titanic work of Heydar Aliyev in transformation in accordance with the national interests of the system, once known as a punitive apparatus.

Hasanov noted that after returning to the leadership of the country Heydar Aliyev was concerned with the activities of the security bodies, his attention was always focused on the technical support of these structures, the education of new young personnel, along with the preservation of the professional staff formed in the Soviet period.

"Following the decree of the national leader in 1998 the Academy of National Security was established," he recalled.

He added that the policy pursued by the national leader was successfully continued, according to the new requirements, with Ilham Aliyev’s coming to power.

“The concept of national security was prepared and adopted in accordance with the presidential order. The concept was prepared to define the goals, principles and approaches of the policy aimed at protecting the independence, territorial integrity, the constitutional order of the state, the national interests of the country and the people from internal and external threats, and provides for the development of a security system that meets the challenges of the 21st century. The necessary legal basis has been created in this direction, the work on technical support and a personnel training has been launched in accordance with the new requirements.

“Reforms implementation and staff improvement in the security system are also in focus of the country's leadership. We are confident that the National Security Service will continue to fulfill its tasks and commitments in the name of preservation and successful development towards new goals," Hasanov concluded.

The event continued by speeches of other participants, dedicated to the life and activities of national leader Heydar Aliyev.