Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Thursday that the war with Armenia is not over yet and accused the arch-foe nation of pursuing propaganda about "an alleged victory", warning that Azerbaijan would achieve liberation of its land from occupation no matter what it takes.
"Although Armenia claims that it has won the war, in reality, only the first stage of the war has ended, which resulted in the occupation of 20% of our territories," he told the inaugural ceremony of an Olympic complex in the Guzanly settlement of the frontline Aghdam district.
Aliyev said Armenia's independence is of formal nature and largely depends on the positions of various states. "With this in mind, Armenia should honor international norms and regulations, and fully vacate the occupied territories on its own free will," he said.
"They realize very well that time is on our side. Our stance remains unchanged - the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict must be settled in peace while complying with international law and the national interests of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is not and cannot be a subject of discussion during the talks. The issue of granting a special status to Upper Garabagh may be considered only after the occupied Azerbaijani territories are fully freed and Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons return to their native land. Otherwise, we are ready to restore our territorial integrity and liberate the occupied land through military action," the commander-in-chief said.
Armenia has been occupying part of Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s, in defiance of international law and UN resolutions. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.
President Aliyev emphasized that the Azerbaijani economy surpasses that of Armenia five or six times. "Azerbaijan's economic development strengthens our positions."
The head of state said that whereas Armenia demanded to grant Upper Garabagh independence five to six years ago, it now realizes that Azerbaijan will never let this happen.
Aliyev underscored Baku's achievements in the peace process. "Initially, the liberation of four districts was being discussed, while now we are talking about the liberation of all the seven occupied districts [around Upper Garabagh]."
Touching on human rights, President Aliyev regarded the criticism by international groups of Azerbaijan's human rights record as unfair.
"International organizations adhere to double standards on the issue. They should rather accuse Armenia that has violated the rights of over a million people [refugees displaced by the Garabagh conflict]," Aliyev said.
With regard to the Kosovo issue, he said international norms of conduct and principles of justice were being violated in the world.
"The issue of unilaterally recognizing some autonomous regions is emerging in the world, which is unacceptable," Aliyev said, stressing that these developments suggest that Azerbaijan should become a stronger state.
After visiting Aghdam the president headed to the frontline where he met with Azerbaijani soldiers and observed the positions of the enemy at a trench.
Analyst Mubariz Ahmadoglu said the fact that President Aliyev paid his first visit in 2008 to the frontline regions was of great political importance.
"His visit to the districts bordering on the enemy positions following a terse statement on the Garabagh conflict he made at a government meeting dedicated to the outcomes of 2007 shows how serious his intentions are," Ahmadoglu concluded.