"WE DON'T CARE WHEN WE HAVE, AND CRY WHEN WE LOSE"

Mais Mammadov, TV reporter

All of us were once again convinced of rightfulness of this national saying at the day when the Azerbaijan people, with swollen from crying eyes, saw its leader Heydar Alirza Aliyev off to his final journey.

But we were not guarding our patriarch, when radical opposition was allowed with the help of its tiny yellow papers to pour out douche of lie and slander on the man who sacrificed his life for the sake of establishing our independent country. Seeing-off this great man turned, in essence, into a grandiose manifestation, showing to radical opposition and a number of their foreign friends that Azerbaijan people has made the conceived choice.

I had the happiness to work with this outstanding person.

In 1973 I was invited to the position of correspondent of the Central TV and All-Union radio on Azerbaijan. The main task was gathering and preparing materials for the main information program of the country "Time". Azerbaijan occupying even those years a far from leading position among the allied republics, as if woke up after long sleep. The whole republic turned into a huge building ground. Apartment houses, new enterprises were erected, crop of cotton, grain, vegetables grew. And all these successes were inseparably linked with new energetic first secretary of the CC Communist Party of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who first in the Soviet Union began moving away from former methods of management, changing it in the root.

To take for example, agriculture. Heydar Aliyev regularly visited districts of Azerbaijan, taking with himself not only journalists, but also figures of literature and art. "Let them see with their own eyes how bread is grown", - the first secretary joked. It is necessary to say that Heydar Aliyev knew agriculture at the level of a good certified agriculturist. It allowed him, speaking with the village workers, to demonstrate brilliant knowledge of their problems. The same happened, for instance, when he paid visits to oilmen, machinists, chemists.

I remember well, how those years Days of Culture of Russian Federation were held in Baku. Best writers and poets, musicians and actors, composers and artists came to our country. And the chief of the party organization of Azerbaijan met them all. The figures of culture and art left him slightly struck dumb. "For the first time we meet the party leader, who so excellently understands literature and art", - they shared opinions with journalists. It never occurred to them, and us too that Heydar Aliyev daily, hourly works on himself, allotting no more than 4-5 hours per day for dream and rest ...

Azerbaijan was changing. Since the beginning of 70s of the last century, the republic annually left the All-Union socialist competition as a winner. The brilliant pulse for the further development of agriculture became the well-known resolution about development of wine-growing in Azerbaijan, which Heydar Aliyev literally punched in Moscow.

I remember well, when the deputy minister of agriculture of USSR told Aliyev that he had warned the Georgians that soon Azerbaijan outstrips them in grape manufacture. They laughed, stating thus that rather the Kura would flow reverse, than Azerbaijan outstrips Georgia. And recently, he continued, I once more visited Georgia, and while performing a speech said - Well, the Kura is flowing as before, but Azerbaijan has left you far behind. This time there was no laughter in the hall. Growth of productivity of grapes, cotton, vegetables, tea, certainly had an effect on well being of peasants, which in turn resulted in construction boom in districts of the republic. Working ability, professionalism, brilliant skill to be quick to grasp all the new, non-standard thinking predetermined further destiny of Heydar Aliyev.

The new secretary general of the CPSU Yuriy Andropov transfers him to work in Moscow, charging him to supervise 17 allied ministries. And Heydar Aliyev won general love and respect also there.

In 1998, working already at the ANS broadcasting company, we were shooting a film in Moscow about the 75th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev. We had to meet also with ordinary workers, ministers, and then chief of the Council of Federation Yegor Stroyev, mayor of Moscow Yuriy Lujkov, the well-known Boris Berezovskiy. And all of them spoke about Aliyev in the superior degree. I remember how in Moscow people prepared to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the great Fizuli. I was to prepare a material there. And suddenly they say me at the editor's - Immediately go to Kremlin, the pass is ordered fir you, meeting of Yelchin and Aliyev is expected. After a 10-minute shooting we were asked to leave the study of Yelchin, and the journalists set off to their editions. I, having previously agreed with our president, waited for the end of negotiations to learn any news. The guard came up to me and asked to immediately leave the Kremlin. But I had agreed to meet with Heydar Aliyev, I request them. It is impossiblle, they answer. And here, obviously, their senior by rank approaches. What is going on, he asks. I again explain him everything. Have you agreed with Heydar Aliyev? Certainly, I answer. Let him stay, he says. We respect Heydar Aliyev very much!

Unfortunately, there were people also in the capital of Russia, who not only did not respect, but even hated Aliyev. One of them was Gorbachev. Namely with his direct connivance this damned Garabagh war broke out. When I arrived in Khankendi in 1988, those holding mass meetings held two huge posters. It was written in red on one - "Lenin, reconstruction, Gorbachev". On the other - in black "Stalin, Aliyev, Ligachev". They feared Aliyev like the plague even though he was near to heart attack.

In 1993, having completely ruined construction of independent Azerbaijan, leaders of the National front urgently called Heydar Aliyev to rescue the country. Situation then was extremely difficult. At that time Armenians were going to get to Ganja through Terter and Barda, taking thus all the west part of republic under control. In the south of the country Aliakram Humbatov was trying to create Talish-Mughan republic. In north of Azerbaijan sadvalists reared their heads. And civil war practically broke out in the country. Add to this suspended animation in economy, quickly progressing inflation, demoralized army and it becomes clear that destiny of Azerbaijan literally hung by a thread. How much force and energy, and mainly health, let's not fear word, the great man gave to rescue the country. I had a chance to illustrate a number of his foreign official visits. Seeing, how they first met Heydar Aliyev, and with what respect leaders of England and France, USA, China, Belgium and many other countries saw him off. It is really true, meet for dress, but see off for wit.

Being on foreign official journeys, he worked practically round the clock, since early morning up to midnight. We literally were ready to drop, but he made any minute to meet the ministers, chiefs of firms and banks convincing them not to fear to invest in the development of economy of Azerbaijan. In Germany he met representatives of the chemical concern, who once erected capacities in Sumgayit. They were simply stunned when our president named them those enterprises, telling them what they manufacture, and what is necessary today for their reconstruction. You are a phenomenon, mister president, stated chief of the chemical concern, - "I have never seen such a thing before".

And what hot squabbles developed at his press conferences. Heydar Aliyev so precisely formulated his point of view on the Upper Garabagh problem that foreign sharks of pen and microphone after the end of briefings were running to us, Azerbaijan journalists to learn more about this amazing person.

And that many foreign countries began to change their points of view on the Upper Garabagh is the great merit of our president. At that time all had a single stereotype - poor little Garabagh and bloodthirsty Azerbaijanis who do not sleep nor dream so as to kill at sleep the future pair-or-two Armenians.

Therefore many were literally dumbfound with the information given them by our president. Though Armenians still have enough defenders, thanks to diaspora.

In London, where Heydar Aliyev arrived with official visit, ex-prime minister Margaret Tetcher paid him a visit. After a small conversation press was asked to leave, and I, sitting on a small stool behind the back of a huge armchair, tarried and became an involuntary witness of the course of conversation. The iron lady went to attack at once stating that her country with age-old democratic traditions can not understand how it is possible to hold Armenia in blockade. About Nakhichevan Tetcher did not say a word, though Heydar Aliyev told her in detail about the uneasy situation formed in this region. Having listened interlocutress, president of Azerbaijan noted that England really is the cradle of democracy, but he can not understand at all why, possessing all the democratic laws, the government of Tetcher has not solved the problem of Ulster. After these words the ex-Prime Minister began to bustle and left, wishing success to the Azerbaijan delegation.

We shall always remember Heydar Aliyev. New books, films, songs, performances about this phenomenal person will appear. I think, the best monument to him will be independent blossoming Azerbaijan, for which he gave his life. And our future is good, I am sure. You see our new president Ilham Heydar oglu has inherited from father not only his surname...