Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

A top Azerbaijani official cautioned against Armenia's power politics in the South Caucasus, saying that Azerbaijan should be careful and aware.

Head of the Public and Political Issues Department of Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov made the remarks at the presentation ceremony of a book titled "Occupation of Azerbaijan by Armenia. Analytical Chronicle" on November 18.

Hasanov said that Azerbaijani people long for Nagorno-Karabakh in their hearts.

Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Hasanov said, "Each of us should be a missionary, each of us must support the policy pursued by the Azerbaijani President. We should return Nagorno-Karabakh not only with power, but also with mind. With every Azerbaijani supporting this, we will bring victory closer and make Armenia face the facts," he said.

Hasanov noted that the Karabakh issue is of the great importance to Azerbaijanis and should remain so.

"Liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh should be a priority for each of us, regardless of profession, whether one is a musician, a scientist, a journalist, soldier, politician, or an MP," Hasanov said.

He said that the book titled "Occupation of Azerbaijan by Armenia. Analytical Chronicle" reflects the annals of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and is a historical chronicle.

He said Azerbaijan must thoroughly consider the occupation policy pursued by Armenia in the South Caucasus and demonstrate its mind, intellect, and experience.

Hasanov added that the policy of a strong country's truth dominates today's world.

"How should it be in reality? There must be a policy according to which those who are right must have power. Those who are right must be strong in everything. Unfortunately, we live in a world where different standards are used and the right to use force is more used and supported," Hasanov said.

"From this point of view, we must not forget the task that the President has repeatedly set at various events for the citizens and intellectuals of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani people - offensive diplomacy," Hasanov said.

"We must have weapons for such diplomacy. We cannot stand empty-handed in front of the Armenian lobby, which is well-armed with various technologies and methodologies of anti-Azerbaijani propaganda," he said.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing, almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.

The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.