 As far as I know, no one was interested on this issue until this day, at least out loud. Meanwhile, this is a civilized world accepted practice: state former president congratulates his successor with the election to the high position. In the case of Heydar and Ilham Aliyev, congratulations would be more than appropriate: Heydar Aliyev was the father of Ilham Aliyev and the person who refused to participate in the presidential race in favor of his son. In order to find the answer to the headlined question we should get familiar with the preceding events of Heydar Aliyev’s death official announcement. July 8, 2003 Heydar Aliyev was hospitalized in the Military Medical Academy "Gülhan" in the capital of Turkey - Ankara. In May of the same year, after fainting during a public speech on the air, he already passed the treatment. This time, however, health condition of Azerbaijan’s President was far more threatening than before. August 1 in the press leaked the information that Heydar Aliyev died. The same day, the State Chancellery of Georgia first expressed its condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Azerbaijan, shortly after the message about the death of President Heydar Aliyev was officially denied by the same Chancellery. Georgia President's press secretary Kakha Imnadze at the briefing in Tbilisi stated that during the National Security Council meeting Eduard Shevardnadze was informed on the death of Heydar Aliyev. Soon, the same Kakha Imnadze at the second briefing reported that death of Azerbaijan’s President doesn’t correspond to the reality. August 4, Ilham Aliyev has denied all of the rumors on a critical health state and, especially, death of his father - President Heydar Aliyev. RIA Novosti (news agency) informed that Aliyev-junior reported about his return from Turkey where he visited his father in "Gülhan" hospital. "It is expected that Heydar Aliyev, will return home to August 6 - the beginning of presidential elections official campaign in Azerbaijan". Ilham Aliyev really visited Ankara’s hospital with a group of accomplices, after that he returned with a signed decree appointing himself to the position of prime minister and acting president of Azerbaijan. However, many experts believe that the signature was faked as Heydar Aliyev the president of Azerbaijan was in a coma, or, more likely, he was no longer alive. Nevertheless, Heydar Aliyev, "signed" not one but two decrees, by the second one of which Artur Rasi-zade was appointed to the post of first vice-premier of Azerbaijan. Also, should be noted that there is no decree of removing him from the post of prime minister. August 6, the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, was transported from Ankara to US Cleveland for further examination and treatment. According to Azertaj agency, President’s plane took off from Ankara about at noon. August 8, there was first wave of protest in front of the Turkish Embassy in Baku. Baku Medias reported that representatives of the Democratic and other oppositional parties have expressed their dissatisfaction with official Ankara's position on the illegal transfer of power from Heydar Aliyev to his son Ilham. The protesters adopted resolution which called Ankara to build relations with Azerbaijan on the principles of democracy, to assess the seizure of power and to support democratic elections in Azerbaijan. In this case is very interesting Philip Ricker’s reaction (US State Department press service) who could not hide his irritation on Heydar Aliev’s staying in Cleveland. As informed "Turan" agency first Riker interrupted journalist who asked about Aliyev, then, after repeated questions, Riker quite vaguely reported: "We were informed that President Heydar Aliyev is on his way to the US for medical treatment. I don’t know other details, as well as did he already arrive or not. " Meanwhile, Azeri opposition press asserted that Heydar Aliyev died. So "Hurriyet” newspaper published the information that H. Aliyev died on 1st August and there is a record of it in Ankara’s "Gülhan” hospital. Azadlyg newspaper published message that "H. Aliyev’s body was delivered by the plane of Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations to the airfield in Nasosnyy and already located in Baku." However, Baku officials continued to assert that Aliyev is in Cleveland, and his condition steadily improves”. Following Azerbaijan’s leaders let’s turn to the Cleveland’s data. August 11, city clinic held press release stating "from the arrival President’s health condition has improved." Aliyev is in the cardiovascular department of the clinics, where he "rests comfortably”. On the same day in an interview to the Voice of America Radio Eileen Sheil, Cleveland Clinic spokesman said that information about the health condition of Azerbaijani President, distributed by the Cleveland Clinic, initially agreed with the officials accompanying Heydar Aliyev, and only then brought to the public. According to rules of the clinic, the information won’t be spread out if patient or his relatives don’t want it to be spread. This is a very important recognition, according to which relatives are able to hide true health condition of Heydar Aliyev from the public. There was something to hide. August 15, there was a major accident with US power grid that caused entire north of the country, including Cleveland, remaining without electricity. However, as Eileen Sheil reported to the Turan news agency "Power cuts didn’t reflect on the H. Aliyev’s health condition. There are no changes in his condition since our last report, spread to the media on August 11. The state of our patient is stable". At the second half of August and September 2003 there were some interesting reports about "found" donor heart for Aliyev, which previously belonged to the deceased in a car accident Colombian, and the search of Azerbaijan’s president declared by the "Hurriyet" newspaper. Heart transplantation didn’t take place, although money (half of a million dollars) for the insured heart of the deceased Colombian had been given. Newspaper search was also useless. Aliyev was in Cleveland Clinic, where no one allowed, and all details were agreed with accompanying people. However, there was an interesting story about "accompanying group”: October 1, Heydar Aliyev’s guards (here used appropriate words) were turned out of the Cleveland Clinic’s doors. The official reason of this decision - the group of guards molested Russian girl working in the cafe. There are no answers to our questions … Did they all molest one girl? and … How many people were in that group? The version of Russian girl harassment is still used today. The very next day was published Heydar Aliyev’s statement where he withdraws himself from the presidential election "in favor of Ilham Aliyev." Also, H. Aliyev called his son "the guarantor of the country's future." Should be clear, health condition of the unprotected body had to be good, if he could make such important decisions. October 7 (8 days before the election!), the Head of Presidential Administration, Ramiz Mehtiyev informed about Heydar Aliyev’s soon return to Azerbaijan. Interfax news agency passed Mehtiyev’s words: "I can’t tell whether it will be before the elections… it directly dependents on doctors.” October 10, APS (Agency of Political News) published anecdotal post citing source in the Russian intelligence services: Four countries: Azerbaijan, USA, Britain and Turkey - are fighting for the right of not hosting Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev. The essence of this message is on the fact that none of these countries were willing to report the death of Heydar Aliyev on its territory, as it could cast a shadow on their medicine. No comments, as they say. October 11, Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev declared that "Heydar Aliyev won’t be able to discharge from the Cleveland hospital and return to the country from USA for the presidential election." "Head of States will vote in United States" - added I. Aliyev, diligently instilling population that Heydar Aliyev is alive. October 15, 2003 Ilham Aliyev "won” presidential elections in Azerbaijan. Elections were accompanied by widespread fraud and forgery which ended by the beating of protesters. Romano Prodi, European Commission President said that "organization, process, and results of the election were a perfect farce: opposition candidates didn’t have a slightest opportunity for a fair result in the election." Thus, according to Prodi, Ilham Aliyev elected in Azerbaijan can be considered as "legitimate tyranny" of its country. Soon, Speaker of the Milli Mejlis reported from Baku: "At the inauguration ceremony of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on October 31 we expect the former leader of the country Heydar Aliyev to attend." Heydar Aliyev, of course, never arrived. November 24, Eldar Ibrahimov, the member of Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis blurted offering to print a new sample of the national currency, which will be depicted an "eternal leader Heydar Aliyev." December 12, US State Department spread a statement in connection with the death of Azerbaijani former President Heydar Aliyev on December 12 at Cleveland Clinic. Azerbaijan almost immediately got fever on perpetuating the memory of ex-president. Azerbaijan accreted with monuments, museums, parks, and the mausoleum of Heydar Aliyev. Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported: incredible speed of these monumental structures projects appearing indicates that they were prepared in advance". Newspaper openly mocked the posthumous promotion of the personality cult; it got its climax when Baku mayor G. Abutalibov offered "to rename Azerbaijan in Heydaristan and to rename Azeri in heydari.” In the situation of mourning excitement no one noticed that Heydar Aliyev was brought and buried in a closed coffin. There is another important detail; no one seems to pay attention on it: Heydar Aliyev didn’t congratulate his son, Ilham Aliyev with the victory in the presidential elections. How is it possible? After hospitalization, he appointed his son to the post of prime minister and acting president, then, October 2 Heydar Aliyev withdrew himself from the fight for the post of Azerbaijani President, suggesting everyone to vote for Ilham Aliyev. What could stop him to congratulate his son with the victory after elections on October 15? Note, according to the official propaganda, Heydar Aliyev has used his constitutional right, and voted in the election. Heydar Aliyev didn’t congratulate his son with the inauguration, which took place on October 31. I think there is only one answer: Azerbaijani former president has been dead. All these months, someone has carefully composed texts of decrees, as well as Heydar Aliyev’s health condition information. Carefully stored corpse got forgotten in the confusion of opposition protests suppression and fast inauguration preparations...
Igor Vartanov Washington, Cleveland (Ohio)
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