Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has thanked those who sent him congratulatory letters on his 59th birthday.

On December 24, on her official Instagram page First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva shared a video containing Aliyev's relevant speech.

"Numerous letters of congratulations are being sent to me on the occasion of my birthday. I want to thank everyone who sent all these messages. I have never celebrated my birthday. I always met the IDPs and martyr families on my birthday. This year, on the eve of my birthday, Mehriban khanim [mode of address] and I visited the liberated lands in Zangilan and Gubadli and marked this day with the soldiers, if it is possible to say so," President Aliyev said.

He later added: "Today [December 24] I am in Baku with my family. This time there will be no celebration either, we will not celebrate anything. We will simply sit together and talk. Year 2020 is coming to an end. This year has been very successful for us. We have won a historic victory. We have won the Victory. We have liberated our lands from occupiers. At the same time, it was a sad year because we had martyrs. Our young children died for the Motherland, for their land, and rose to the peak of martyrdom. May God have mercy on all our martyrs! May God grant patience to their relatives! May God heal all our wounded soldiers!"

The head of state expressed his confidence that the coming years will be successful for the country.

"Azerbaijan will follow the path of development and progress, and our destroyed cities and villages will be restored. Great construction work will begin next year. I am confident that the people of Azerbaijan will once again show their greatness to the whole world, show unity and solidarity in this creative work, as was the case during the war. Dear brothers and sisters, thank you again for your wishes. I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year and the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!" he concluded.

December 24 marks President Ilham Aliyev's 59 birthday. Aliyev, who ensured Azerbaijan's victory in the 2020 Nagorno-Karbakh war, is seen by the nation as a heroic leader. The major success that Azerbaijan achieved under Aliyev's leadership since 2003 was an end to the 30-year-old conflict with Armenia as a result of which all occupied territories were liberated. Ilham Aliyev's presidency has been marked with Azerbaijan's strengthened position politically and economically on international and local levels. The country has also strengthened its international influence.

The Karabakh peace deal signed by him along with the Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020 brought an end to the 44-day war between the two countries. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied.

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