Azerbaijan declares national mourning after Aliyev’s death

In Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, the news of Aliyev’s death was greeted with sadness. Television stations cancelled their scheduled programmes and broadcast archive footage of the former president. Flags were flying at half-mast. For the seven days of mourning, concerts and any form of public entertainment have been banned. The body of the former president would be flown home Sunday. Aliyev’s 41-year-old son Ilham Aliyev is to head a commission organising the funeral. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Turkish head of state Ahmet Necdet Sezer will attend the funeral, though
there is no confirmation of this. Azerbaijan’s foreign minister Vilayet Guliyev told Azerbaijan lost his best politician whose peformances was followed closely by the world. "He achieved many great successes in the last ten years. We will be followers of his way." he said.