Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

A well thought-out response is needed with regard to Armenians' invasive policy in the South Caucasus, Head of the Department of Public and Political Issues of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Professor Ali Hasanov, said.

Hasanov made the remark during a lecture titled 'Azerbaijan's position in the talks on conflict settlement' held at the Karabakh Research Center.

The Center hosted the regular short-term student courses, on the program titled 'Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: historical roots, stages and solution perspectives' on April 11.

Hasanov stressed that Azerbaijani citizens, intellectuals and the society should not forget about pursuing offensive diplomacy and exposing Armenia in the world as an aggressor state - a task which the Azerbaijani president assigned to them and repeatedly underscored.

Speaking about Armenia's aggressive policy and destructive position in the conflict resolution, Hasanov also highlighted Azerbaijan's diplomatic efforts in this area and the fact that the state recently favors offensive diplomacy.

He said President Ilham Aliyev repeatedly stated Azerbaijan will never accept this occupation, the policy of ethnic cleansing and the temporary loss of Azerbaijan's territories, noting Azerbaijan has every reason for liberating the occupied territories in accordance with international legal norms.

"Therefore, we must support the policy of the Azerbaijani president and government on Nagorno-Karabakh," he stressed. "Also, we need to be strong. Economic power is the foundation for Azerbaijan's mission to save itself."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.