Heydar Aliyev Heydar Alirza oghlu Aliyev ( az, Һејдәр Әлирза оғлу Әлијев, italic=no, Heydər Əlirza oğlu Əliyev, ; , ; 10 May 1923 – 12 December 2003) was a Soviet and Azerbaijani politician who served as the third president of Az ...

, the former

President of Azerbaijan The president of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the head of state of Azerbaijan. The Constitution states that the president is the embodiment of executive power, commander-in-chief, "representative of Azerbaijan in home and foreign policies", ...

, died on 12 December 2003 in the

Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit American academic medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio. Owned and operated by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, an Ohio nonprofit corporation established in 1921, it runs a 170-acre (69 ha) campus in Cleveland, ...

(United States) at 10 am local time from heart failure at the age of 80. On 14 December, his coffin was taken to Baku.

Funeral commission

On 13 December, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the establishment of the State Commission for the funeral of his father, Heydar. The following list contains members of the commission: * Ilham Aliyev - President of the Republic and Chairman of the State Commission * Murtuz Alasgarov -

Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan The Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan Republic ( az, Azərbaycan Respublikası Milli Məclisinin Spikeri), also called Chairman of the National Assembly ( az, Milli Məclisinin Sədri) is the Speaker of Parliament, Speaker of National ...

Artur Rasizade Artur Tahir oghlu Rasizade ( az, Artur Tahir oğlu Rasizadə; born 26 February 1935) is an Azerbaijani politician who served as the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan from 1996 until 2003, and again from 2003 until 2018. Rasizade was a long-time Communis ...

Prime Minister of Azerbaijan The prime minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Ali Asadov on 8 October 2019 after the removal of his predecessor, Novruz Mammadov. Due to the central role of the president in the politic ...

* Ramiz Mehdiyev - Head of the

Presidential Administration The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to the jurisdiction under which it operates. In general terms, administration can be described as a decision making body. United States In American usage, the ter ...

* Farhad Abdullayev - Chairman of the

Constitutional Court A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ...

Vilayat Guliyev Vilayat Mukhtar oglu Guliyev ( az, Vilayət Muxtar oğlu Quliyev / , ; born 5 November 1952) is an Azerbaijani politician who was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan from 1999 to 2004. He was elected to the Azeri parliament in 1996 as a su ...

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

Safar Abiyev Colonel General Safar Akhundbala oglu Abiyev ( az, Səfər Axundbala oğlu Əbiyev; born January 27, 1950) was the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan from 1995 to 2013. He was considered one of the longest serving defense ministers in the Commonw ...

- Minister of Defense * Namig Abbasov - Minister of National Security *

Ramil Usubov Ramil Idris oglu Usubov ( az, Ramil Idris oğlu Usubov, born 1948) is the incumbent Secretary of the Security Council of Azerbaijan. Before he served as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, in office from 1994–2019. Early life Usu ...

Minister of Internal Affairs Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of governme ...

* Zakir Garalov - Prosecutor General * Allahshukur Pashazade - Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office * Mahmud Karimov - President of the

National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) ( az, Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası (AMEA)), located in Baku, is the main state research organization and the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activities in the fields of ...

* Hajibala Abutalibov - Mayor of Baku * Anar Rzayev - Chairman of the

Writers' Union of Azerbaijan The Union of Azerbaijani Writers ( az, Azərbaycan Yazıçılar Birliyi) is the largest public organization of Azerbaijani writers, poets and publicists. It has over 1500 members at present. It was founded on June 13, 1934, when Azerbaijan was a ...

Ceremony

The farewell ceremony was held 15 December 2003 at the Palace of the Republic (nowadays

Heydar Aliyev Palace Heydar is a common male given name in Greater Iran, particularly in Iran and Azerbaijan. A variant of the Arabic name Haydar (also spelt Heidar, Haider, and other variants), it was a cognomen of Ali, who was known for his courage in battle. Heyda ...

) and was broadcast live on the main Azerbaijani TV channels. The funeral lasted seven hours and was attended by 250,000 people. At 9.00 local time, the farewell ceremony began, with a

guard of honor A guard of honour (British English, GB), also honor guard (American English, US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, o ...

from the National Guard of Azerbaijan being lined up at the coffin. A prayer service was also held at the local mosque. After the official ceremony, a procession of many kilometres took place. After staying in Baku for only an hour and a half, Putin and Nazarbayev left the ceremonies early via Bina International Airport. Heydar Aliyev was buried in the

Alley of Honor The Alley of Honor ( az, Fəxri Xiyaban, Honorary ''Allée'') is a public cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Alley includes burials of famed Azerbaijanis and Azerbaijan-affiliated expatriates, including several Presidents, scientists ...

next to his wife

Zarifa Aliyeva Zarifa Aziz gizi Aliyeva ( az, Zərifə Əziz qızı Əliyeva; April 28, 1923 – April 15, 1985) was an Azerbaijani ophthalmologist, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and professor. She was the wife of third Presiden ...

. During the funeral, an artillery salute was given.

Dignitaries

The ceremony was attended by past and present Azerbaijani politicians and a plethora of international dignitaries, which included the following: * The

, Ilham Aliyev * The First Lady of Azerbaijan,

Mehriban Aliyeva Mehriban Arif gizi Aliyeva (; az, Mehriban Arif qızı Əliyeva Paşayeva, ; born 26 August 1964) is an Azerbaijani politician and physician who is the vice president and First Lady of Azerbaijan. She is married to Ilham Aliyev, the president o ...

* The

President of Russia The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

* The

Mayor of Moscow The Mayor of Moscow (russian: Мэр Москвы, Mer Moskvy) is the head and the highest-ranking official of Moscow, who leads the Government of Moscow, the main executive body of the city. Moscow is both a city and separate federal sub ...

Yury Luzhkov Yury Mikhailovich Luzhkov ( rus, Ю́рий Миха́йлович Лужко́в, p=ˈjʉrʲɪj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ lʊˈʂkof; 21 September 1936 – 10 December 2019) was a Russian politician who served as mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010 ...

* The

President of Dagestan The Head of the Republic of Dagestan is the highest official and the head of the executive power of the Republic of Dagestan. The Head is Dagestan’s Head of State and Head of Government. The Head of Dagestan’s duty is to ensure compliance wit ...

Magomedali Magomedov Magomedali Magomedovich Magomedov (russian: Магомедали Магомедович Магомедов; ; 15 June 1930 – 4 December 2022) was a Russian politician who served as the Head of the State Council of Dagestan from 1992 to 2006. ...

* The

Secretary General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

CIS Cis or cis- may refer to: Places * Cis, Trentino, in Italy * In Poland: ** Cis, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central ** Cis, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, north Math, science and biology * cis (mathematics) (cis(''θ'')), a trigonome ...

, Vladimir Rushallo * The

President of Kazakhstan The president of the Republic of Kazakhstan ( kk, Қазақстан Республикасының Президенті, Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Prezidentı; russian: Президент Республики Казахстан, Prezident Respu ...

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev ( kk, Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев, Nūrsūltan Äbişūlı Nazarbaev, ; born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician and military officer who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, in off ...

* The

President of Kyrgyzstan The president of Kyrgyzstan, officially the president of the Kyrgyz Republic (russian: Президент Киргизской Республики; ky, Кыргыз Республикасынын Президенти), is the head of state an ...

Askar Akayev Askar Akayevich Akayev ( ky, Аскар Акаевич (Акай уулу) Акаев, translit=Askar Akayevich (Akay Uulu) Akayev ; ; born 10 November 1944) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as President of Kyrgyzstan from 1990 until being ove ...

* The

President of Moldova The President of the Republic of Moldova () is the head of state of Moldova. The current president is Maia Sandu, who assumed office on 24 December 2020. Duties and functions The office of the presidency in Moldova is largely ceremonial, ...

Vladimir Voronin Vladimir Voronin (; born 25 May 1941) is a Soviet and Moldovan politician. He was the third president of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the First Secretary of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) since 1994. H ...

* The President of Georgia,

Nino Burjanadze Nino Burjanadze ( Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე , also romanized Burdzhanadze or Burdjanadze, born 16 July 1964) is a Georgian politician and lawyer who served as Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia from November 2001 ...

* The Former President of Georgia,

Eduard Shevardnadze Eduard Ambrosis dze Shevardnadze ( ka, ედუარდ ამბროსის ძე შევარდნაძე}, romanized: ; 25 January 1928 – 7 July 2014) was a Soviet and Georgian politician and diplomat who governed Georgia fo ...

* Candidate in the

2004 Georgian presidential election Presidential elections were held in Georgia on January 4, 2004.Georgia: Election for President
IF ...

Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili ( ka, მიხეილ სააკაშვილი ; uk, Міхеіл Саакашвілі ; born 21 December 1967) is a Georgian and Ukrainian politician and jurist.

Chairman of the Government of Adjara The Chairman of the Government of Ajara Autonomous Republic is the head of the government of the autonomous republic of Adjara Adjara ( ka, აჭარა ''Ach’ara'' ) or Achara, officially known as the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( ka, ...

, Aslan Abashidze * The

President of Ukraine The president of Ukraine ( uk, Президент України, Prezydent Ukrainy) is the head of state of Ukraine. The president represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, condu ...

Leonid Kuchma Leonid Danylovych Kuchma ( uk, Леоні́д Дани́лович Ку́чма; born 9 August 1938) is a Ukrainian politician who was the second president of Ukraine from 19 July 1994 to 23 January 2005. Kuchma's presidency saw numerous corru ...

* The

President of Turkey The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national govern ...

Ahmet Necdet Sezer Ahmet Necdet Sezer (; born 13 September 1941) is a Turkish statesman and judge who served as the tenth president of Turkey from 2000 to 2007. Previously he was president of the Constitutional Court of Turkey from 1998 to 2002. The Grand Nationa ...

* The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan * The Speaker of the

Legislative Chamber A legislative chamber or house is a deliberative assembly within a legislature which generally meets and votes separately from the legislature's other chambers. Legislatures are usually unicameral, consisting of only one chamber, or bicameral ...

of the

Oliy Majlis The Oliy Majlis (Cyrillic ''Олий Мажлис'', ) is the parliament of Uzbekistan. It succeeded the Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 1995, and was unicameral until a reform implemented in January 2005 created a second chamber ...

Erkin Khalilov Erkin is a masculine given name which is also used as a surname. People with the name include: Given name *Erkin Abdulla (born 1978), Uyghur pop singer *Erkin Alptekin (born 1939), Uyghur human rights activist from Germany * Erkin Alymbekov, Kyr ...

Reactions

Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed condolences to Ilham Aliyev, saying "The people of Azerbaijan suffered a heavy loss". * On 13 December,

Askar Akayev sent a telegram of condolences to Ilham Aliyev. * Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences in a phone call with President Ilham Aliyev. The Azerbaijani Embassy in Moscow opened its doors for people to sign the book of condolences.

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow Patriarch Alexy II (or Alexius II, russian: link=no, Патриарх Алексий II; secular name Aleksei Mikhailovich Ridiger russian: link=no, Алексе́й Миха́йлович Ри́дигер; 23 February 1929 – 5 December ...

referred to Aliyev as "the wisest statesman has passed away, who devoted his whole life to the prosperity of the people of Azerbaijan and made a significant contribution to strengthening the once common state for our peoples." Condolences also came from former Russian Premier

Yevgeny Primakov Yevgeny Maksimovich Primakov (29 October 1929 – 26 June 2015) was a Russian politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1998 to 1999. During his long career, he also served as Foreign Minister, Speaker of the Supreme ...

. * The

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...

sent condolences to Ilham Aliyev.

Gallery

File:Путин c Президентом Азербайджана Ильхамом Алиевым во время церемонии прощания с Гейдаром Алиевым.jpg, Ilham Aliyev with Vladimir Putin during the funeral. File:Встреча с исполняющей обязанности Президента Грузии Нино Бурджанадзе. Во дворце «Республика», Баку.jpeg, Georgian interim leader

with

on the sidelines of the state funeral.

References

External links

The return of Aliyev's body to Baku
{{DEFAULTSORT:Death and state funeral of Heydar Aliyev 2003 in Azerbaijan Aliyev, Heydar Heydar Aliyev Aliyev, Heydar Aliyev, Heydar December 2003 events in Asia