The Pakistan-based Diplomatic Star magazine has published an interview of member of the Azerbaijani parliament, Gular Ahmadova.
The interview entitled "The First Lady of Azerbaijan Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva safeguarding Azerbaijani children" begins with the following opinions:
"The Republic of Azerbaijan is the most developed country of the South Caucasus and enjoys its specific place in the Muslim world. Pakistan was the second country to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence and two states enjoy brotherly and friendly relations since then. Pakistan unequivocally supports the principle stand of Azerbaijan on its core Nagorno-Karabakh issue (As a result of Armenian aggression 20 percent of Azerbaijan`s territories was occupied and more than 1 million people became refugees and IDPs).
The Azerbaijani MP answered questions on priorities of Azerbaijan`s foreign policy, the current state of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relationship, care for children in the country.
Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in her interview, Ahmadova said "The neighboring Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 adjacent districts of Azerbaijan. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding Armenia to leave the occupied lands, but official Yerevan ignores international law and still keeps our territories under occupation. We are happy to say that the whole Muslim world, especially Pakistan fully supports us on this important issue."

The MP noted "Today Azerbaijan is steadily developing. We are already one of the most developed countries in the region. Azerbaijan is known not only for its oil and gas resources, but also literature, music, sports, cuisine. The Eurovision song contest held in Azerbaijan this year attracted the whole world`s attention to its history, culture and traditions."
Touching upon Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations the MP said "Political relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan are developing in all spheres. National leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev paid a visit to Pakistan in 1996. A number of agreements were signed on the sidelines of that visit, which was a foundation stone of Azerbaijan-Pakistan relationship.
Ahmadova also spoke of the care and attention to children in Azerbaijan at the state level. She added this started with returning of national leader Heydar Aliyev to power. "At the initiative of national Leader Heydar Aliyev in 1994, Azerbaijan joined the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Law on the Rights of the Child was adopted in the country. In addition, "SOS Children`s Village Baku" was established as a joint project of "SOS Kinderdorf International". During all years of his leadership, Heydar Aliyev took a special care of talented children, created a solid legal basis for that. Today, the care and attention of the Azerbaijani government to children is obvious. President Ilham Aliyev is doing his best for the children of Azerbaijan."
"I would like to dwell on activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation which is aimed to implement ideas of the national leader. The President of the Foundation, First Lady of Azerbaijan, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO and member of parliament, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva became a spiritual mother of children. Every year Mrs. Aliyeva personally participates in public holidays, International Children`s Day celebrations with special attention and care to children, communicates with them and demonstrates real mother-like care. The statement of Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva at UNESCO International Conference on Juvenile`s Education held in Moscow was the manifestation of her attention and care not only to the children of Azerbaijan but also to those of the globe: "....First period of childhood is important for mental and physical development of a human. It`s the basis of future human formation. At the same time, a child is vulnerable and dependent on adults", - Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva stated in her speech at the conference."
"The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is recognized for its activities not only in Azerbaijan, but all over the world. Projects implemented by the Foundation in many countries of the world caused proper respect in international community. The Foundation constructed the girls school in Muzaffarabad in place of the one destroyed by earthquake as well as implemented large-scale health-care and humanitarian projects in all provinces of Pakistan."
Ahmadova said "The organization also arranges summer recreation camps for refugee and IDP children settled in the camps, hostels as well as held competitions for identifying the talented children among them."

AzerTAc