From the conversation of the Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev at a meeting with the delegation headed by the president of the international organization "SOS-Kinderdorf International" Helmut Kutin - Presidential palace, June 27, 2001

Heydar Aliyev: Honorable President!

Dear Guests!

I am very glad that you visited Azerbaijan again, and I hope that the teamwork started by us as yielding results now, will bring even more successes in the future.

You are engaged in charitable work, the humanitarian work having extremely great value all over the world. The most important feature here consists of that it concerns children, the deprived or orphan children.

I know that you work in more than 130 countries. We have joined this work a little bit later. I accuse ourselves of it. Probably, we could not find you to know. At the same time, carrying out this humanitarian work concerning children you should know that in Azerbaijan it is a lot of children who have remained without guardianship as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and arrive here. Both we and you are guilty. But it is good that we have found each other. There is a saying that better late than never. We have concluded the contract with you and you have started here practical work.

The work done by you here deserves a high valuation. In the picturesque place of Baku city allocated by us, you have created beautiful children`s village. I admired when I visited it sometimes ago. But as I heard, subsequently it was even more extended. Unfortunately, today I have other works. I can not go with you there. I have charged the prime minister. In the near future I will find time by all means and I will visit there.

Anyway, the work, which I saw, proved that you are engaged in an activity which really has great historical value. We should always pray for the person who founded your organization - in 1949 - the organization "SOS Kinderdolf" International. And we should thank to followers of his works.

By carrying out these works in Azerbaijan, you have even more encouraged us. Because, if it can be carried out in Baku the greater need for this work is felt in our other cities, other regions. Therefore, I consider that the program carried out by you here has the second stage too. If you start this work in several regions of Azerbaijan, for example, in Ganja or Nakhchivan being now in blockade, other places, - anyway our people will define it together with you, - we will be extremely grateful to you and we will never forget your services. The organization created by you in Azerbaijan is headed by my daughter Sevil. It shows that as the President how much value I attach to this work. Unfortunately, now she is not in the country, and cannot meet you. However, here I see her assistant. As a whole, our Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the population, other our organizations carry out great work in this area.

Once again, I express my gratitude to you. To take, embrace, bring up the deprived child or orphan is extremely valuable work. Look, how much you have surrounded children with care, attention in the world, including the Azerbaijani children. I am very grateful to you. Please.

Helmut Kutin: Your Excellency, mister President, I very highly appreciate an opportunity to meet you again. I express you deep gratitude on behalf of all delegation of the organization "SOS Kinderdolf International" for the kind attitude and hospitality shown to us as we have made a step into the Azerbaijan ground.

Your Excellency, you absolutely fairly noted that we have started activity in Azerbaijan a little bit later. However, now we closely cooperate with Azerbaijan, fine friendly attitudes were generated - this fact already proves that we are the people ready as true friends to share both good and bad days with you.

Your Excellency, let us express our deep gratitude to the prime minister, his assistants, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the population, and also the head of this project, this organization in Azerbaijan, the first lady of the country for the direct assistance in implementation of our activity in Azerbaijan. I should note that her very capable assistant mister Tahir Budagov, who is the deputy minister, has rendered us great help in this work. I should tell also that you fairly noted, the fine village had been created there. We have been very happy to pass night in "SOS kinder - children`s village" in Azerbaijan, to live all the day with children. There are no mosquitoes but a lot of water there. Children look very happy.

I wish to share with you an impression of mine. I was rather touched, when I saw your picture, taken at opening of this village together with children deprived of parental guardianship, on a wall in an apartment allocated for me in this village, and in this picture the President, who is the grandfather of all the Azerbaijani children, has embraced them. Because it was possible to feel on expression of your face in the picture what huge care about this project, these children you show and at what level there is your attention to this work.

Your Excellency, although you cannot take part in this action, consider that you will feel yourself there. Because your picture will be in this village, children will feel you in their environment. Together with us there will be your prays, your feelings, the kind attitude of your heart to children. Children will feel it. Mothers of these children will live once again your feelings. They are nice children.

Therefore, mister President, let me express to you my personal gratitude that you have found time, visited this village. You have visited this village not only to take part in one event or ceremony but to be together with these children, to familiarize with their life and to share paternal, grandfather`s care and feelings with those children deprived of parental guardianship. Development of these projects always is in the focus of your attention.

Mister President, two years ago, when we met here, I informed you on work which we wished to carry out, I was not completely sure whether you deeply trusted in all of these or not. However, two years have passed and as you see we kept our promise. Together with your prime minister, with our friends we have created fine village in Azerbaijan. Your Excellency, we will absolutely convey your gratitude to our friends in Germany, having great services in construction of this village.

Mister President, our organization, inspired by the first project, success here, intends to expand these projects in Azerbaijan, to continue their second, third stages if you support us as well as in the first project and if your ministers help us in this business.

Heydar Aliyev: I will give even more support.

Helmut Kutin: In that case we confirmed that we are partners in the next project.

Heydar Aliyev: Well, start to work.

Helmut Kutin: I consider that very good mothers work in that village. As a whole, works have been organized very well there. I consider that working together in friendly condition, we will create great hope for the future of children deprived of parental guardianship. At the same time we will henceforth continue our strong friendship with Azerbaijan grounded on the strong basis.

Once again we express deep gratitude to you and we declare that we intend to carry out successful cooperation with you in the future.

Heydar Aliyev: Thank you. Once again I express my gratitude to you. With feeling of deep satisfaction I perceive your statement for expansion of your activity here, in Azerbaijan. I want to express hope that the work which you will carry out here in higher condition than before will be provided by our local organizations. Therefore, I ask to start this business without postponement. Thank you very much.

In the beginning of our meeting I said that your work really deserves the highest valuation on a global scale. I, as the President of Azerbaijan, especially estimate this work. I very highly estimate your services. Therefore, highly estimating the work done by you till now, I have signed the Decree on decorating personally you with the high reward of Azerbaijan - "Shohret" (Glory) order. I would like here, in this ceremony, to reach the Decree to you and personally present to you a high reward of our country.

Helmut Kutin: Mister President, thank you very much again. That is great honor for me. I consider that this reward is the great estimation to the organization of "SOS Kinderdorf International" and to the activities of the people who have carried out this project.

Undoubtedly, it creates more responsibility for us and obliges us to carry out more rational work for Azerbaijani children. Once again thank you very much.

Heydar Aliyev: Thank you very much. I wish you successes. I am very glad to meet you again.