Speech of Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev at the solemn meeting dedicated to 50th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights - December 10, 1998

Dear ladies and gentlemen!

I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The United Nations Organization, established after World War II, contributed a lot to the prevention of large-scale wars, preservation of peace and stability, abolition of colonialism and prosperous life of each human being

One of the most remarkable services of the United Nations Organization is adoption of Universal Declaration of Human rights 50 years ago for the first time in the history of mankind. While being adopted some 50-55 countries voted for it. However, in the course of the last 50 years, this declaration became the main principle of the majority of states of the world, their state governance and structure. That is a great achievement.

While, solemnly celebrating the 50th anniversary of this declaration today, we express our gratitude to the United Nations Organization and we congratulate the United Nations Organization and its Secretary General on this occasion.

The speakers that delivered speech before me have given a detailed information on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights being implemented in Azerbaijan and about its positive results and expressed valuable opinions. I express my gratitude for these opinions and your appreciation of all works done for implementation of the principles of Declaration of the Universal Human Rights in Azerbaijan in the course of the last years.

Mr.Ercan Murat, representative of the United Nations Organization in Azerbaijan, has expressed valuable opinions on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as on works done in Azerbaijan in the course of the last years and he considered positively our work. I appreciate it and I thank him for this attitude.

Protection of human rights in Azerbaijan, as well as implementation of requirements of theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights were ensured in the course of the last 7 years. It is well known that Azerbaijan has joined the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations Organization as soon as it declared its state independence. Hence, in spite of the fact, that the Declaration was adopted 50 years ago, Azerbaijan has been implementing this declaration as long as 7 years. However, all of us know that yet we can ensure the complete implementation of this declaration.

In fact, we commenced to implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the course of the last years and as it was mentioned here, much works were done in this sphere. Provision of all articles on human rights in the Constitution adopted in 1995 is a clear evidence of adherence of Azerbaijan to the way of protection of human rights. All laws adopted after it and the most important - our practical work in this sphere prove it too.

A year of 1998 was the year of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, year of human rights for Azerbaijan. The works carried out, decisions adopted and measures undertaken in 1998 in Azerbaijan are well known to public. It was told about it here today.

We are building a democratic, legal and secular state in Azerbaijan. These three words constitute the main objective, content and main principles of our state building. All of these three words - democracy, law and secularity - are stemmed from human rights. Hence, we have chosen our strategic way in Azerbaijan and we are pursuing it.

Having celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights today, we have to speak and think about our future duties. Because we have undertaken big and numerous assignments. The works carried out in the course of the last years didn't yet result in protection of human rights in all spheres. It is quite natural. It is impossible to achieve it in a short period of time. Actually, we are considering the implementation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations Organization in the world in the course of the past 50 years. We see that turning of declaration of human rights into state principles and their implementation required certain time in different countries of the world.

Our objective is to pursue successively the way we have taken. Today I declare that Azerbaijan state and government considers further the protection of human rights its main objective, it will live and work in conformity with this principle.

State bodies have many duties to fulfill in the sphere of human rights protection. Of course, everybody must ensure protection of his rights in the society, at the same time, making efforts for protection of human rights in the society. Every Azerbaijani citizen is required to do that. However, state bodies, officials of state bodies - citizens of Azerbaijan bear special responsibility for protection and provision of human rights. I think that if officials, persons working for state bodies consider the protection of human rights their main duty, we can achieve more results in this sphere.

Today I require all state bodies, all citizens working in the state administration to fulfill their duties related with protection of human rights. I declare that this issue will always be our central preoccupation and the work of each official will be estimated in conformity with fulfillment of his duties in the sphere of human rights protection.

I think that if officials are in earnest about protection of rights of citizens, we could achieve many results. Unfortunately, in many cases, - today it must be admitted, - officials think that laws are not for them. We are witnesses of these facts. Today I declare that a serious struggle against these cases must be carried out. These persons can not work in state bodies any more. They must be dismissed. We must ensure the protection of rights of every citizen.

Of course, there are those committing crimes, breaking laws, violating rights of others, in other words, not respecting rules and laws amongst our citizens. The state bodies and officials must struggle against all that. However, while carrying out struggle, it is necessary to keep within the law and act in conformity with legislation. I am confident that the citizens of Azerbaijan, those working in state bodies of Azerbaijan will always keep the issue of human rights protection in the focus.

Both the propaganda in this sphere must be widespread, and the legal education must be strengthened. Speaking about rights we have to know that if citizens are not aware of laws and of their rights, what they can do and what cannot - it is not rightful to require them to observe the law.

Since we have not been living in conformity with law previously, in other words, during Soviet period, the habit to know the law, to learn the law and to observe the law was not formed in our people. This habit cannot be formed in a day or in two days. Hence, we must try to develop this process. But this process cannot be left without control. This process should be developed and we must influence this process. We must conduct this process. Therefore, the legal education should be organized not only in schools or universities but in all spheres of the society.

Celebrating today the 50th anniversary, I think our main goal for the future should be development of legal education of Azerbaijani citizens. This is a great work. I think that for an organized and successive carrying out of this work, a program must be elaborated and its realization must be ensured.

In short, Azerbaijan, as an independent state and adheres to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and will adhere to it in the future. We will ensure the implementation of all provisions of our Constitution on human rights in all spheres of our life, especially in the process of state building. We will adopt new laws for realization of duties stemming from provisions of the Constitution and in consequence, we will establish a democratic, legal and secular state in Azerbaijan.

Human right is the right of every human being and at the same time it's the right of every nation. We are empowered to eliminate faults existing in relation with human rights inside the country and provide the human rights and we can do that. However, the violation and trampling on the rights of Azerbaijani people are the instances making us anxious, concerned. It must concern the World Community and the United Nations Organization as well. As it was mentioned here, the violation of all the rights is connected with occupation of the part of Azerbaijani territory as a result of military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, death of people in this war, violation of their rights and expelling of more than one million of Azerbaijanis from their homelands. Unfortunately, many international organizations of the world dealing with human rights protection do not pay attention to this issue; moreover, some of them cannot consider this field as violation of human rights. It makes us very anxious. Today, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we demand from the United Nations Organization, the OSCE and other international organizations and their countries dealing with human rights to put an end to the mass violation of rights of Azerbaijani people.

Our people is patient and we are still tolerating the occupation of our territories. We are tolerating the deprivation of all rights of people and their living in tents. We are also tolerating the aggression against our people and violation of our rights. We are tolerating because we are a pacific people. Independent state of Azerbaijan adheres to the peaceful politics and we want to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict peacefully. Therefore, we cooperate closely with international organizations, especially with the OSCE and its Minsk Group, as well as Russia, the United State of America and France that are co-chairs of Minsk group. We believe in positive results of this cooperation. However, procrastination of the settlement of the problem and forgetting of the military aggression by international and world community, their overlooking of violation of human rights make each of us anxious, concern the Azerbaijani people. This is natural. I think that today, this year, the United Nations Organization, the OSCE and all international organizations must take serious measures in relation with mass violation of human rights all over the world, we demand it.

It is with pleasure that one can say that numerous activities and events organized in 1998 in Azerbaijan dedicated to 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were very useful for our society and for our citizens. The conferences, scientific workshops, different meetings and this solemn ceremony - all that attract the attention of society and each citizen in Azerbaijan to the problems of human rights. In itself, it is very useful for our common work. Expressing my satisfaction with all that, I declare that I highly appreciate all works done by so far and I congratulate you, all the citizens of Azerbaijan on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I wish to each citizen of Azerbaijan having the main right - the right to live and right to be happy. I wish you success in this work of universal importance.
 
Thank you.