TODAY.AZ / Politics

President Aliyev outlines all needed international support to overcome Karabakh crisis [UPDATE]

24 November 2020 [13:00] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Vafa Ismayilova

President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan managed to get all necessary international support in dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.

Aliyev made the remarks outside the mosque in Aghdam city liberated from Armenian occupation after 27 years on November 20. President Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Aghdam mosque on November 23 as part of their trip to the region.  Aliyev presented the Holy Quran he brought from Mecca to the Aghdam mosque. Later Aliyev and the first lady prayed in the mosque.

International support

“We were able to get the necessary international support in the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which is a key issue for us,” Aliyev said.

The president said that Azerbaijan kept the affair in the spotlight during its presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the second-largest institution after the United Nations. He stressed that the NAM, which unites 120 countries, prevented the adoption of a new anti-Azerbaijani resolution at the UN Security Council.

“Many members of the Non-Aligned Movement recognize Azerbaijan as an independent and strong country ready to defend them. We have provided humanitarian financial assistance to more than 30 countries during the pandemic, including special assistance to the NAM through the World Health Organization. All this work has paid off,” Aliyev added.

Stressing Azerbaijan’s chairmanship not only in the NAM, but also in the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, the head of state added: “Our international authority is quite high, and it has played a special role in having this conflict resolved.”

He also stressed moral and political support from Turkey, leaders of several other Muslim and non-Muslim countries.

Upper hand in political arena

Aliyev added that Azerbaijan had had all international organizations adopt decisions and resolutions that recognize and reflect justice and international law.

“Four UN Security Council resolutions were adopted in 1993, but then we created a solid legal basis for resolving the conflict by having the UN General Assembly, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the NAM, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopt decisions and resolutions,” he said.

The president noted that all these important steps that have been taken since 2003 allowed the country to get the upper hand in the political arena.

“At the same time, the ‘Partnership Priorities’ document initialled between the European Union and Azerbaijan two years ago contains clear statements about Azerbaijan's sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of our borders. This is our great success because we could not achieve this for many years. Some international organizations did not want to call the aggressor by its name. Some international organizations did not want to reveal the identity of the occupier in the documents adopted in connection with the occupation. Even four UN Security Council resolutions did not mention Armenia as an aggressor state and referred to it as ‘Armenian forces’,” he said.

Economic independence

Aliyev said that the country’s economic independence also contributed to the victory in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Our strong economic potential and financial resources have allowed us the opportunity to fully ensure economic independence. This has also played a special role in our victory. Because if we were not economically independent, we would not be able to achieve political independence. Without political independence, we could not liberate our lands from the enemy, an enemy with great powers behind it, with very influential circles of those powers, Armenian lobby organizations. These factors have increased our strength and paved the way for our victory,” he said.

Military strength

The head of state noted that the military strength remained as the number one issue for Azerbaijan.

“I have repeatedly said that building up our military capacity is the first issue for us. It is no coincidence that during my presidency, our military expenditures were in first place among budget expenditures every year... We bought the necessary equipment. We demonstrated this equipment and modern weapons in the numerous parades on Azadlig Square. We adopted the most advanced trends in the development of our army. We bought weapons that would give us an advantage, and the Second Karabakh War showed that,” the president said.

He said that many countries, many developed countries are studying Azerbaijan’s experience.

“Many experts dealing with this issue are noting that Azerbaijan waged a war of the 21st century. For the first time in the 21st century, historic achievements of this scale and effect have been made in such a short period of time. On my way here, I saw at least three lines of defence. But according to the information given to me by the military, there were five lines of defence here. In Fuzuli as well. Thanks to the heroism and professionalism of our soldiers and officers, we have crushed these lines of defence,” he said.

 Information war

The president stressed Azerbaijan’s victory in the sphere of information war.

“We have won the information war. We have fully informed the world about the Khojaly genocide. There was no information about the Khojaly genocide in the world. It is possible to say that the “Justice for Khojaly!” campaign and the recognition of the Khojaly genocide by more than 10 countries as an act of genocide created a picture reflecting the realities of the conflict and conveyed it to the world community,” he added.

Christian temples

Aliyev pledged that Azerbaijan will protect all Christian temples located on liberated lands.

“All the temples in our territory are our historical assets... All our historical sites are protected by the state... Our Caucasian Albanian churches are our national treasure. Our Georgian churches, the Armenian church,” he said.

Aliyev noted that after the war ended some leaders from Western countries are raising the question of what will happen to Christian temples in the liberated lands under the control of Azerbaijan.

“They express these concerns both during conversations with me and in their official statements. No-one should worry, especially the leaders of Western countries which ignite Islamophobic sentiments, those who have turned a blind eye to the insults of Islam and even justified those who insult it. They have no right to talk about it,” the head of state noted.

Aliyev invited UNESCO experts to Azerbaijan to inspect the state of Christian temples on liberated territories.

“We work very closely with UNESCO. But if they want to come and visit Christian temples, they should come here. Come and tell what the wild Armenians have done here,” he said.

Aliyev mentioned that it was Turkey that supported Azerbaijan morally and politically for 44 days, and leaders of several other Muslim and non-Muslim countries.

Liberation of Aghdam

Aliyev once again congratulated Aghdam residents on the liberation of the region.

“The victory on the battlefield made it possible to liberate Aghdam district, as well as Kalbajar and Lachin districts, without firing a single shot and without anyone becoming a martyr,” he said.

He added that the ruined city of Aghdam witnessed Armenian atrocities. “We will restore the city of Aghdam and all the villages. Let no-one ever doubt that. It will be a difficult task. Of course, it will take a lot of effort. But just as we have shown unity for 44 days, I am confident that we will show unity and determination in the restoration of our liberated lands,” he said.

During his speech, Aliyev addressed Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, main culprits behind the situation in liberated lands.

“Kocharyan and Sargsyan, you have knelt before us, you have brought this place, all the occupied lands, to this plight. You have destroyed this mosque. They fled and hid during the Second Karabakh War.... War criminals and Khojaly executioners, we have destroyed you. Azerbaijani soldiers, Azerbaijani officers have destroyed you. And it serves you right!” the president said.

The president reiterated the Armenian army is almost non-existent and that there are over 10,000 deserters from the enemy’s army.

He noted that after the liberation of Fuzuli, Hadrut, most of Khojavand district and Shusha, Azerbaijani troops intended to move towards the city of Aghdam.

“The order was issued that the next direction was Aghdam. The enemy also knows and already admits that if they had not accepted my conditions to leave our lands, they would have died here. Because we were coming to Aghdam,” Aliyev said.

Speaking about Armenian destructions in Aghdam, the president said that “everything is mined. Most of the mines are here”.

Aghdam mosque

Meanwhile, the president questioned why ambassadors from the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, failed to raise the issue about the state of the Aghdam mosque destroyed by Armenia.

“A few years ago, the ambassadors of the Minsk Group co-chair countries visited this mosque. They conducted fact-finding missions twice and told me that they had visited the Aghdam mosque. Why didn't they raise this issue? Why didn’t certain Western leaders express their concern? Does this mean that Muslim mosques can be insulted, cows and pigs can be kept and destroyed? If so, let them say so, let them deal with the problems in their countries and not interfere in our work,” he said.

The president pledged that the countries wishing to interfere in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs will be answered.

Religious tolerance

The president added that Azerbaijan hosts the Baku Humanitarian Forum or the Forum on Intercultural Dialogue every year. Azerbaijan hosts summits of leaders of world religions.

“Look and see what is being said about us. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation cites the attitude towards Islam in Azerbaijan as an example. During his visit to Baku, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill praised the work done in this area in Azerbaijan and visited Orthodox churches. In his official speech during his visit to Baku, Pope Francis spoke about tolerance, religious tolerance and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan. Who can criticize us? Those who shut down mosques? Can those throwing the heads of killed pigs into Muslim mosques teach us a lesson and express concern? They do not need to express any concerns,” Aliyev said.

He added that Azerbaijan was renovating two Orthodox churches at the expense of the state, while the third church had already been repaired. During the war, the church of Udis was repaired and put into operation by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Upper hand in political arena

Aliyev added that Azerbaijan had had all international organizations adopt decisions and resolutions that recognize and reflect justice and international law. “Four UN Security Council resolutions were adopted in 1993, but then we created a solid legal basis for resolving the conflict by having the UN General Assembly, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopt decisions and resolutions,” he said.

The president noted that all these important steps that have been taken since 2003 allowed the country to get the upper hand in the political arena.

“At the same time, the ‘Partnership Priorities’ document initialed between the European Union and Azerbaijan two years ago contains clear statements about Azerbaijan's sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of our borders. This is our great success because we could not achieve this for many years. Some international organizations did not want to call the aggressor by its name. Some international organizations did not want to reveal the identity of the occupier in the documents adopted in connection with the occupation. Even four UN Security Council resolutions did not mention Armenia as an aggressor state and referred to it as ‘Armenian forces’,” he said..







































































































 


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