10/08/1998
MR. PRESIDENT,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
HONORARY COLLEGUES
LET ME START WITH THE WORDS OF GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF SUCH A DISTINGUISHED CONFERENCE. I AM DELIGHTED TO THANK OUR HOSTS PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT AND U.N. OFFICIALS FOR THEIR HOSPITALITY AND TREMENDOUS EFFORTS. FIRST IS ALWAYS FIRST - AND I APPLY TO YOU TO REALISE ONCE MORE THAT THE FIRST TIME, IN THE MANKIND HISTORY GOVERNMENTIONAL REPRESENTATIVES,, RESPONSIBLE OF YOUTH ARE TOGETHER, AND THOSE ARE ALL OF US.
THE WORLD OF THE XX CENTURY IN COMPARISON WITH THE OTHER TIMES HAS OBTAIN SERIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE SOCIAL,, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SPHERES OF LIFE. IT HAS MADE CLEAR ITS DETERMINATION TO ENTER THE = CENTURY IN THE CONDITIONS OF PEACE AND SECURITY. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE AND AMING AT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH HUMAN VALUES, THE PRESIDENT HEIDAR ALIYEV AND NEW AZERBAIJANY LEADERSHIP CONSOLIDATED THE PATH OF DEMOCRATIC REFORMS. ONLY PEACE AND NATIONAL CONSENT ON THE BASIS OF RESPECT OF CIVIL RIGHTS CAN PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERSONALITY AND THE COMMUNITY. AZERBAIJAN IS TAKING STEPS TOWARD THE DEMOCRATID SOCIETY. THE NECESSARY FOUNDATION FOR THIS IS THERE ALREADY, AND WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THE DEMOCRATID CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED AND THE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WERE HELD. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT 5 YOUNG DEPUTIES WERE ELECTED TO THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC PARLIAMENT.
IT IS EVIDENT THAT WE HAVE TO DO A LOT IN ORDER TO ELABORATE ON PARTICULAR LAWS AND TO IMPROVE OUR LEGAL SYSTEM. CRUTIAL STEP IN THIS DIRECTION WAS MADE IN FEBRUARY, WHEN PARLIAMENT OF AZERBAIJAN APPROVED A PROPOSAL OF PRESIDENT TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY. MY COUNTRY THUS BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AMONG CIS STATES "TO BATTLE CREVIE FROM A HUMANITARIAN POSITION'.
THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEEE EQUALITY OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF RASE, ETHNIC BACKGROUND, RELIGION, LANGUAGE, SEX, ORIGIN, PROPERTY STATUS AND OFFICIAL POSITION, BELIEFS, WNIEBERSHIP IN POLITICAL PARTIES, TRADE UNIONS AND OTHER PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION GIVES ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES OF THE YOUNG. WE ARE PROUD TO SAY TliAT OUR PARLIAMENT HAS ADOPTED LAWS ON EDUCATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION AND THE LAW PROJECTS ON "SPORTS AND PHYSICAL CULTURE","PROTECTION OF CHILDREN RIGHTS" AND OTHER IMPORTANT AWS ARE BEING DISCUSSED.
BUT ALONG WITH THE DEMOCRACY THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION HAS BROUGHT A COMPLEX OF NEW PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS IN ECONOMY, SOCIAL WORK AND DEEPENED THE ETHNIC CONFLICTS.
THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH AND SPORTS FACES SERIOUS PROBLEMS, THE REASON FOR THIS ON THE ONE HAND IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW LIVING THROUGH A TRANSMISSION PERIOD FROM ONE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC FORMATION TO ANOTHER AND ON THE OTHER HAND WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE MILITARY CONFLICT UPON NAGGORNY KARABACH AFTER THE AGRESSION OF NEIGHBOURING ARMENIA, WICH IS GREATLY INFLUENCING THE SITUATION IN MY COUNTRY BOTH IN POLITICAL AND ALL OTHER FIELDS. AS A RESULT, ABOUT 20% OF AZERBAIJANY TERRITORY HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED, OVER 18,000 LIVES PERISHED, MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED OR DESABLED, MORE THAN 900 SETTLEMENTS SEVERAL THOUSAND HONES, BUILDINGS OF INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION WERE DESTROYED. THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS REACHED MORE THAN 1 MILLION, MORE THAN 300,000 OF WHAT IS YOUTH.
THIS IS REALITY OF THE END OT THE XX CENTURY THAT NUMEROUS COUNTRIES ARE FACING TODAY QUITE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS CAUSED BY REGIONAL MILITARY CONFLICTS WHICH ARE STILL WAITING FOR SETTLEMENT. THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AMONG WHICH THERE ARE YOUTH AND CHILDREN ARE DYING OR ARE LEFT DISABLED AND LOOSE THEIR FAFfli IN LIFE. AND TMS IS A GREAT BLOW TO THE FUTURE OF THE NATION) ITS HEALTH AND GENETIC FUND, BECAUSE THE YOUTH IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE NATION'S FUTURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF INTERNARIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SET`TLEMENT OF THE CONFLICTS AND EXPRESS THE IDEA THAT IN THESE - PROCESSSES IT'S NECESSARY TOGETHER WMi OTHER MEANS AND MEASURES TO MAKE MAXIMUM USE OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF YOUNG GENERATION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE NEGLECT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WIHCH ARE LIVNG AS REFUGEES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, THEY COULD BE DRAWN INTO ALL SORTS OF ANTI-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES - SUCH AS CRIME AND DRUG ADDITION.
AZERBAIJAN AS A COUNTRY DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT REFUGEE YOUTH PROBLEM (TAKING 300 000 YOUNG REFUGEES INTO CONSIDERATION) WOULD LIKE TO URGE ALL RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS TO BE MGBLY CONCENTRATED ON TfHS MATTER. WE HEREBY CALL FOR BET`TER PROTECTION AND RESPECT OF RIGHTS OF YOUNG REFUGEES AND MAKE A SPECIAL ADDITION TO THE DECLARATION OF THE CONFERENCE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS OF AZERBAIJAN, EXIN1`1NG ALREADY 4 YEARS IS CONCENTRATES ON PROVIDING YOUTH POLICY CONSISTENT WITH THE CHALLENGES OF THE DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT, USING THEIR CAPABILITY AND THEIR CRIATIVE POTENTIAL.THIS POLICY IS CONDUCTED ON ALL GOVERNMENTAL LEVELS. THE MAIN DIRECTIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING:
-CONTROL OF RESPECT FOR YOUTH' S RIGHTS;
-SUPPORT OF THE YOUTH EMPLOYN[ENT;
-PROMOTION OF YOUTH BUISNESS ACTIVITY;
-STATE SUPPORT FOR NEWLYWEDS;
-PROMOTION OF GIFTED YOUNG INDIVIDUALS,
-ESTABLISHMENT OF CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE ACTIVE YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN STATE BUILDING, POLITICAL PROCESS, PUBLIC LIFE ETC. THERE ARE DOZENS OF GOVERNMENTAL AND NON GOVERNMENTAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS IN MY COUNTRY. IN PARTICULAR THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS WAS FOUNDED, CONSISTING OF 39 VARIOUS YOUTH DIVISIONS AND MOVEMNTS. THE COUNCIL COORDINATES ACTIVITIES OF ITS MENBERS, WORKING FOR A SOLUTION OF YOUTH PROBLEMS AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE YOUNG, ASSISTS IN ESTABLISHING AND DEVELOPING NON-GOVERNMENTAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, COOPERATES WITH FOREIGN PARTNERS. THE YOUTH OF MODERN INDEPENDENT AZERBAIJAN IS READY TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE WORLD AND LOOKS WITH GREAT OPTIMISM INTO THE FUTURE ALONG WITH THE WORLD YOUNGSTERS. SO, DEAR COLLEGUES, LET'S DO OUR BEST NOT TO LOOSE THE OPTIMISM OF THE YOUNG GENERATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION