Esteemed Leonid Danilovich!

Ladies and gentlemen!

I was highly excited with this event. But first of all I am very glad to pay a visit to Kiev, Ukraine, at the invitation of my dear friend, very esteemed President of Ukraine Leonid Danilovich Kuchma and we began to discuss some issues which require solutions for the future development of the Ukrainian - Azerbaijani relations.

It is a great honor and, of course, extremely kind of you for awarding me with the supreme prize of Ukraine, «Yaroslav Mudry» order and to hear the sincere words from the President of Ukraine Leonid Danilovich Kuchma to the address of the people of Azerbaijan and me while awarding the order.

Leonid Danilovich, I am grateful to you. I am thankful to the Ukrainian State for this great honor and assure you that I shall keep doing my best to develop and strengthen the friendly relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan as well as broad cooperation between these countries.

I understand how this order lays a responsibility on my shoulders and I shall do my best to be worthy of such supreme prize of Ukraine. Recently, the relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan have been successfully developing and in this sense, there is an undeniable role of the President of Ukraine, esteemed Leonid Danilovich in it. Undoubtedly, I have taken and take appropriate measures for the development of relations and now my little work is so highly appreciated.

At the same time, I think that the people of Ukraine and President of Ukraine with this reward, express their kind attitude and friendly feelings toward the Republic of Azerbaijan and the people of Azerbaijan. I relate this prize to the development of friendly relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Frankly speaking, it is my first prize as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. I have not won any prize in my republic since today. Of course, it is natural to my mind that the President can’t be awarded by his own republic. It is also my first time that I won a prize of another country, a friendly country which is Ukraine.

You know, it is a turning point in my life and my biography in which I have won numerous awards. But this award is of special importance, has a special meaning for me. Firstly, because it bears the name of preeminent Yaroslav Mudry, secondly it is the prize of a brotherly country -Ukraine, thirdly, I am honoured by this award by my friend, esteemed President of Ukraine Leonid Danilovich Kuchma.

I am extremely excited and happy and again, I would like to express my deep gratitude for this remarkably outstanding event related to the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani relations.

Dear Leonid Danilovich, dear friends, I would like to assure you that I will do my best to develop and deepen the Ukrainian- Azerbaijani relations and make Azerbaijan become a faithful friend and ally of Ukraine.

Thank you very much.