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Important issues of bilateral Azerbaijan-Germany relations were discussed at the meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said President Ilham Aliyev at the joint press conference with Merkel in Berlin, Trend's correspondent reported from the event.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan was one of the important parts of our discussion, said the president.

He went on to add that the resolution of the conflict must be based on implementation of international law norms and UN Security Council resolutions, which demand immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian Armed Forces from the territories of Azerbaijan.

Unfortunately, said the president, the sanctions have not been imposed on Armenia for brutal violation of international law, policy of ethnic cleansing and occupation of almost 20 percent of a sovereign state's territory.

Recent development in the region shows that in the land of conflict the ceasefire is not stable, it is fragile, and the status quo is not acceptable, said Ilham Aliyev.

He reminded that in April Armenia launched another military provocation against Azerbaijan.

"We had to defend ourselves, defend our civilians. By the way, six civilians were killed as a result of Armenian aggression," said Ilham Aliyev, adding that the status quo in the conflict must be changed.

The president said that issues of regional security and regional cooperation were also discussed in a meeting with Angela Merkel.

President Ilham Aliyev then said that earlier he attended the Azerbaijan-Germany business forum, adding that a big amount of leading German companies expressed interest in doing business with Azerbaijan.

According to the president, the German representatives at the forum said that 80 percent of Germany's trade with South Caucasus falls on Azerbaijan.

Speaking about Azerbaijan-initiated Southern Gas Corridor, Ilham Aliyev said that it was the project of energy diversification for Azerbaijan as a producer, and for consumers - an alternative source of gas from Azerbaijan, which will be delivered by brand new transportation infrastructure.

Energy security today cannot be separated from the national security of countries, which depend on energy supply, and these countries need to have diversified routes and sources, said Ilham Aliyev.

The president went on to say that the Southern Gas Corridor project, which is worth $45 billion, will be implemented on time.

Ilham Aliyev stated that other areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany are also of great importance.

"I also informed the chancellor about the transportation projects that Azerbaijan implements to create the reliable connection between Asia and Europe," said the president, adding that shortest route from Asia to Europe will be through Azerbaijan.

Speaking of political issues discussed at the meeting with Angela Merkel, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is strongly committed to democracy, protection of human rights.

"Many steps have been taken recently in order to address these issues," said the president, adding that today Azerbaijan provides all the fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of assembly, freedom of media.

The fact that Russia is selling weapons to Armenia doesn't create any allergy in Azerbaijan, said the country's president, Ilham Aliyev answering a question at the joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Trend's correspondent reported from the event.

"We consider Russia as our strategic partner," he said. "We understand that Russia is a big producer of arms, and can sell weapons to any country. The allergy is in Armenia, for the fact that Russia sells weapons to Azerbaijan."

The president went on to add that unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan paid the full price for the weapons, and Russia is not the only country where Azerbaijan purchases weapons.

"It is not a secret that we purchase weapons from Turkey, Israel, Belarus, Iran and many other countries, because we are modernizing our armed forces," the president said.

Ilham Aliyev further said that Russia is also one of the members of the OSCE Minsk Group, which deals with the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, adding that Azerbaijan considers Russia's role to be very positive.

"We hope that Russia, along with the US and France will use all their potential to convince Armenia that it is time to leave the occupied territories."

Armenia, by force, occupied the territories of Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev answering a question at the joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Trend's correspondent reported from the event.

"It's enough to look at the map of the region to see who is the aggressor and who is the victim of the aggression," said President Aliyev, adding that Nagorno Karabakh is a historic part of Azerbaijan.

He went on to add that Armenia committed a war crime, genocide in Khodjaly, which is today recognized as genocide by ten countries.

The president reminded that during the Khodjaly genocide 613 people were killed, including 106 women and 63 children, and it all happened in front of international community.

Ilham Aliyev added that Armenia occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh but also seven other districts of Azerbaijan, destroyed Azerbaijan's historical monuments, mosques. The president said that the occupants ignore the calls of international mediators to resolve the conflict peacefully.

In order to prolong the endless negotiations, the Armenian side sometimes organizes provocations like the one in the beginning of April, in order to disrupt the negotiating process, said President Aliyev.

Only this time, according to the president, the Armenian side miscalculated the consequences, and as a result of Azerbaijani army's counter-attack, the country managed to restore parts of its occupied territories.

President Ilham Aliyev said that the Armenian government needs to comply with international law, illegal occupation of other countries is absolutely unacceptable.

"They should start the de-occupation. As as soon as it starts, we will open all the communications, we will restore transportation infrastructure, and eliminate every single possibility of a military scenario," he said.

He went on to repeat that Azerbaijan is committed to peaceful settlement of the conflict.

"We stopped the clashes because we do not want war, we need peace. We need our territories back," he said.

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