Azernews.Az

By Aisha Jabbarova

President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan’s position over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is based o historical justice, international law and best international experience.

Aliyev made the remarks in an interview with Haber Turk TV channel on October 13.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan supports the phased resolution of the conflict.

“At the first stage, the Armenian armed forces must withdraw from the occupied territories. In principle, this issue has already been reaffirmed within the Minsk Group – five districts, then two districts, then Nagorno-Karabakh itself, Shusha, Khankandi – the Azerbaijanis lived in many villages there. Azerbaijani citizens must return there and discussions on the future of Nagorno-Karabakh in a new environment, in a new climate will be continued,” Aliev said.

“We are getting close to peace. Therefore, there is no change in our position on the Armenians living there. Azerbaijan is a multiethnic state. Thousands of Armenians live in different parts of Azerbaijan, especially in Baku, and they are our citizens. There are many ethnicities living in our country and this increases the strength of our country. Therefore, the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh should not be worried at all. Once we save their lives from that criminal junta, they will live better, safer, in a more secure environment and their well-being will improve,” he said.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan still insists that Armenia introduces timetable for the withdrawal of its troops from occupied territories.

“It was indicated in the statement that the discussions would be resumed on the basis of the fundamental principles, i.e. the Madrid principles, which confirm the return of our occupied lands to Azerbaijan. At the same time, the format of negotiations remains unchanged. In particular, negotiations will be held between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The participation of any representative of the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh republic” in these talks is not negotiable. We are satisfied with that. Our expectation was that negotiations should start immediately and the timetable should be presented to us within these negotiations. We must be satisfied with this timetable. In other words, it cannot be a long process,” the president said.

Cowardly attack on Ganja

Aliyev also commented on the attack on Azerbaijan’s second-largest city Ganja, saying that it was a cowardly attack organized less than a day following the humanitarian truce negotiated between the two countries.

“A statement is made about a ceasefire, but such a cowardly attack is organized less than a day later. This shows yet again who is not interested in a ceasefire,” Aliyev said.

“The ceasefire would allow things to move from a military onto political and diplomatic levels. At the diplomatic level, this issue should be resolved around the negotiating table, Armenia should withdraw from the other occupied territories, Azerbaijani citizens should return there and peace should be established. But it seems that Armenia's plans were completely different. They believed that by using this ceasefire, they could reduce their military losses, gain time, mobilize new forces and thus continue their attacks on Azerbaijan. They were wrong. I said that if Armenia did not act positively, they would regret it, and I was right,” Aliyev said.

Commenting on the Moscow negotiations held in Moscow on October 10, Aliyev said: “We gave Armenia a chance. We did not have to agree to this ceasefire. We could have said that we disagree. Who could have forced us?! No-one! We agreed to this so that people would not die on this and on the other side. I feel sorry for them too. They are also being driven. Our Ministry of Defense has circulated video footage of Armenian soldiers being chained, chained to iron, to each other's feet so that they do not run away. So many such bodies have been found. This is horror. On top of that, punitive battalions have been following Armenian soldiers in recent days. If someone retreats, then they shoot them on the spot. So there is such atrocity, such fascism.”