MOSCOW: A joint meeting was held on April 22 in Moscow between Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, with railway veterans and workers on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, Trend reports.

Addressing the meeting, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said:

– Dear Ilham Heydarovich!

Dear friends!

Fifty years ago, the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline began. This railway stands as one of the world’s largest arteries, a true path of the future. For many involved in the inception and implementation of this project, the BAM is a symbol of dreams and romantic aspirations cherished by an entire generation as they used to say back then and we can confirm now.

The BAM also epitomizes the immense labor and bravery of two million young people from across the Soviet Union. They embarked on a ground-breaking project, unparalleled in world history.

Today we see that the BAM largely shapes the global logistics f
or the whole 21st century. Our country has gained a tremendous potential for exploring and developing Siberia and the Far East, for expanding freight traffic volumes towards the Pacific Ocean. To put it bluntly, the pivot to the east at the present stage was made possible precisely thanks to the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the participants in our meeting on the launch of the Baikal-Amur Mainline construction. Firstly, I would like to speak about the veterans of the railway industry, construction sector, and railway troops. I congratulate not only you but also your families, loved ones, friends, colleagues, and comrades who have stood by you through both challenges and triumphs. And now I am addressing the veteran builders – you had it all including songs by campfires, yet one thing stands out above all else – your hard, hard work.

A profound salute to all who worked alongside you on the BAM, for the labor feat you collectively achieved. Through the trials of the 1990s,
you remained steadfast in your dedication to your life’s work, preserving work crews and ensuring reliable operation of the BAM.

I extend my warmest regards to all those who currently reside and work here, at the BAM, upholding the glorious traditions of the pioneers and contributing to the reconstruction, expansion, and maintenance of this vital railway line.

In recognition and appreciation of your courageous efforts, an Executive Order has been signed to award veteran builders and workers in the construction and railway sectors with high state decorations.

I am sincerely happy to congratulate President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Baikal-Amur Railway construction. His father, Heydar Aliyev, as all BAM builders know well, played a special, enormous role in the BAM’s history. As First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, he supervised the BAM construction and did everything he could for implementing this most complicated project.

He had a colossal am
ount of knowledge and experience, a managerial talent, an ability to resolve most complicated problems that have helped him alongside with his special personal qualities, of course, primarily, a caring and respectful attitude to the people with whom he worked and resolved those huge challenges. He personally visited BAM facilities and spoke to builders and residents of new cities and towns. It was easy to approach him and tell him about one’s problems or to discuss current issues.

I know that our meeting is attended by those who worked with Heydar Aliyev. I would like to ask you by all means to share your memories with us, to tell us what role he played in your life.

I would like to add that with Heydar Aliyev’s support, Azerbaijani designers and builders established two towns with railway stations – Ulkan and Angoya. Now they are taking part in the reconstruction and modernization of the BAM sections in the Khabarovsk Territory and Yakutia.

One more area of Russia-Azerbaijan cooperation is relevant to the
scale and historical significance of the BAM. I am referring to the development of the North-South transport corridor. It actually connects the Northern Sea Route with the Persian Gulf or, let’s say, may and should connect them.

Just as the BAM that became a truly nation-wide construction site and was called upon to serve the interests of all Soviet republics, the North-South transport corridor should become an example of broad international cooperation. I mean the creation of new logistics routes for the accelerated socioeconomic development of the countries in Eurasia and the Global South.

I would like to emphasize once again – we invite all interested countries to join this project and we hope that the best, time-tested traditions of friendship and mutual support of the BAM builders – people of most diverse ethnicities united by a common goal – will be much in demand in this project.

For our part, we are ready to offer our partners access to rapidly growing markets of Asia and the Pacific. For this purp
ose, we intend to use new technologies so as to fulfil our plans for a rapid upgrading of the BAM and Transsib (Trans-Siberian Railway) and the development of the entire Eastern Operating Domain.

The realization of these plans is of great importance for strengthening the connectivity of our country, as well as our political and economic sovereignty. It is no coincidence that the ideas of development of communication routes to the eastern borders of Russia were promoted by prominent politicians and public figures at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

In particular, in 1908, Pyotr Stolypin, at a meeting of the State Council, which at that time actually played the role of the upper house of parliament, defended the project of construction of the Amur railroad, thanks to which the Trans-Siberian Railway completely passed through the territory of our country.

I am absolutely confident that the new ambitious tasks on the development of the Eastern polygon are within the capabilities of real warriors – such
as the workers of BAM. It is a special community of people with strong character who know how to achieve their goals.

I am sincerely glad that the BAM commonwealth has been created. It unites all those involved in the BAM – veterans, specialists from Russia, from the former Soviet republics, and other countries. It is important that you revive and strengthen the friendship of the BAM workers, tell young people the fates of the people, about the glorious history of this huge project, and, of course, provide assistance to the veterans.

To support the people of BAM, we need not only public efforts, of course, but also concrete steps on the part of the state. The BAM builders often lived in very harsh conditions – in huts and barracks. Now, at the present stage, it should not be like that.

In this regard, I would like to note that the Government of the Russian Federation has already approved plans for the comprehensive socioeconomic development of such key BAM cities as Tynda, Severobaykalsk, Neryungri, and Ko
msomolsk-on-Amur.

We are talking about large-scale renovation and development of their transportation infrastructure, housing and public utilities, overhaul and construction of schools, hospitals, kindergartens and sports facilities. Of course, we will definitely build new, modern houses, new housing, and generally create decent conditions for those who live and work at BAM today.

Thank you very much for your attention.

I would like to give the floor to our guest and friend. Please, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Heydarovich, you have the floor.

Source: Trend News Agency