Board of the Cossack Host Society awarded President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan with Antin Holovaty Order. 
This statement was made by Victor Mereshkin, Ataman of the Friendly Association of Cossacks of Azerbaijan, on Wednesday at a press conference hosted by INTERFAX-Azerbaijan.
Antin Holovaty between was a prominent Zaporozhian Cossack leader who after the Zaporozhian Sich's destruction was a key figure in the formation of the Black Sea Cossack Host and their later resettlement to the Kuban Region of Russia. Holovaty was born in the town of Novi Sanzhary (modern Poltava Oblast, Ukraine) and died in Azerbaijan. Thanks to the President Ilham Aliyev a monument to Holovaty was erected in the Azerbaijan's town Lankaran.
The Reward Certificate reads: "By the will of the Lord! Board of the Host Cossack Society of the Friendly Association of Cossacks of Azerbaijan for his great contribution to the development of science, for his great personal contribution to the development and strengthening of the Cossacks, for help in the revival of historical, cultural and patriotic traditions of the Cossacks, for the fight against extremism and terrorism, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is awarded with the Ataman Antin Holovaty Order number 001.
Ataman of the Board of the Host Cossack Society of the Friendly Association of Cossacks of Azerbaijan, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Mereshkin."
Mereshkin emphasized that the Cossack troops of the Don and Kuban Cossacks, and the International Academy of the Cossacks of Ukraine support territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. He also said the Board of the Don and Kuban, International Academy of the Cossacks of Ukraine decided to honour the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with Golden Star Order.
The Order has been sent to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ukraine and will be presented to Azerbaijan's President soon.
To date this Order has been awarded to the presidents of Ukraine - Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovich, and will also be presented to the newly elected Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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