Heydar Alirza oglu, a prominent political figure, a man with a deep mind and impressive magnitude, did a lot for the Republic of Azerbaijan, for the development of the CIS, for strengthening the centuries-old friendship between the peoples of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. We have known Heydar Aliyev for a long time, we have known each other for decades, when Heydar Aliyev worked in the Kremlin, I used to go to him for support. When Heydar Aliyev was hospitalized in Moscow, I was one of the first to visit him. When Heydar Aliyev suffered a heavy loss- when he buried his wife, I was with him.
Now is another time. I believe that the people of Azerbaijan did the right thing by calling on Heydar Aliyev to become the head of state.
* * *
The people of Azerbaijan have suffered a heavy loss, and we mourn with them. An outstanding political figure, a man of profound intelligence and admirable charms, has passed away. Heydar Aliyev was my close friend and a politician whom I respect the most. Future generations will acknowledge the true value of his services to his people. Although it hurts to talk about my dear and unforgettable friend in the past tense, I must say that Heydar Aliyev worked for the welfare of his people until his last breath.
Heydar Aliyev succeeded in firmly rallying the people and directing them to the path of progress and development. In fact, no one has achieved this in modern history.