Heydar Aliyev

Heydər Əlirza oglu Əliyev (Russian Гейдар Алиевич Алиев / Alijewitsch Geidar Aliyev, born May 10, 1923 in Nakhchivan, † December 12, 2003 in Cleveland, Ohio) is the most important politician was for many years first of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, and then the independent Republic of Azerbaijan: From 1969 to 1982 he was first Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan SSR from 1982 to 1987 and member of the Politburo of the CPSU and first Deputy Prime Minister of the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union from 1993 to 2003 he was president of independent Azerbaijan.

Life

Rise in Azerbaijan

Supposedly comes Əliyev from a working class family. But this can also be a his followers ascribed legend. The statements of his supporters and his opponents go so apart much so that even his official biography is doubted.

After completing a degree in History at the State University of Azerbaijan Əliyev 1941 began his career in various offices of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. From 1944 he worked for the KGB, in 1967 he became the first head of the Azerbaijani KGB in Azerbaijan. In July 1969, he was elected First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU in Azerbaijan.

In the center of power of the USSR

In December 1982 he left this position to take up key positions in the Soviet government in Moscow. From Leonid Brezhnev promoted, he went in 1982 to the highest political body of the USSR, he became a full member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ( CPSU ) and, in the period 22 November 1982 to 21 October 1987. At the same time he was 1982-1987 first Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Government of the USSR in the Cabinets of Kosygin, Tikhonov and Ryzhkov. In 1987 he had the Politburo and the Council of Ministers to leave because he did not support the reform policies of Mikhail Gorbachev.

" Aliyev was, as I said, the group led by Brezhnev to - a group that deep corruption, love for every conceivable luxury and moral corruption at all distinguished. She wore this corruption provocative open without the slightest shame, flaunting. This apartment blocks, which are in most beautiful and representative part [ Baku ] can be considered as example. Aliyev distributed the apartments in person, according to a list drawn up by himself - and also handed over the key to herself. The criterion of distribution was quite simple: the best apartments were the closest relatives, then followed cousins ​​and a higher rank of the Aliyev clan. In these latitudes, like thousands of years ago, still tribal band is most important. I have seen one of these houses from the inside. The apartment owner was busy in the local parliament, but was important only because [ ss] he was Aliyev's cousin. This man, who officially earned only pennies had, on the walls of all the batteries of electronic devices are [ ... ]. Not even as ruble millionaire he could buy these things in the store that are not there to get. [ ... ] The host served up to me only cheese from Holland, then prawns from the Bahamas on. He perched himself satisfied with his family. From all sides he blinked to the electronic devices with their colorful eyes. "

President of Azerbaijan

After the declaration of independence of Azerbaijan, he turned away from the communist ideology and joined on 19 July 1991 from the KP out. The Azerbaijani Communist Party broke up in the subsequent period and renamed itself the People's Front in New Azerbaijan to ( aserb. Yeni Azərbaycan ); Əliyev its first chairman was. From 1991 to 1993 he was executive vice-president of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. On 3 October 1993 he was elected president of Azerbaijan and followed by Əbülfəz Elçibəy, who resigned because of a military rebellion. He then pursued a nationalist policy and accepted as not Russian as a second official language to Azerbaijani. On October 11, 1998, he was re-elected in a disputed election.

During his followers speak of a flowering period of the Azerbaijani State under Əliyev, his critics say that his government " will remain the people as a most difficult time in my memory ." They accuse him of a Tribokratie - a rule of the tribes - and built to have amassed wealth for himself and his sinister clan, while the majority of the people live in poverty.

In foreign policy, tried Əliyev the difficult balancing act of good relations of Azerbaijan with the politically isolated Iran, western Turkey and the U.S. as well as the retention of the old relationship with Russia. Domestically, he built up a decidedly Turkish -Azerbaijani nationalism by Heydər Əliyev the original Turkish language and culture of the country compared to younger Russian culture influences the priority was ( his own name " retürkisierte " he did not ).

To secure his clan power, made ​​Əliyev, as his health deteriorated, his son Ilham Əliyev prime minister. In a prepared statement, which he had read in October 2003, he described him as a " worthy successor " in the presidency, after promising candidates of his related parties could be withdrew their candidacy and elected President Ilham. On 12 December 2003 Əliyev died after a four-month stay in a heart clinic in Cleveland.

Honors and Awards

After his death, various public institutions, including the Baku airport, named after him. In addition to numerous other honors and awards, the Azerbaijani officer school in Baku bears the honorary name Geidar Aliyev.