Q&A session with President Ilham Aliyev at Shusha Global Media Forum

On July 21, the opening ceremony of Shusha Global Media Forum on “New Media in the 4th Industrial Revolution” was held.

According to the media reports that the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participated in the opening ceremony of the Forum and answered questions.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev said:

Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Karabakh and Shusha.

I am very happy to see you here today, thank you very much for accepting our invitation and participating in the Shusha Global Media Forum. This is a great event for our country and, of course, for the Karabakh region.

Shusha is officially the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, at the same time, Shusha is a symbol of our Victory, a symbol of peace. Because after the liberation of Shusha, the Second Karabakh War ended. You passed through the liberated areas on your way here. You came from Fuzuli Airport to Shusha by a road that we called Victory Road. This road did not exist either during the Soviet era or during the occupation. This path was opened thanks to the courage and spirit of our heroes. This is exactly how we came here, we came to liberate our cities and villages. This city is also a symbol of our courage. Several international events have already been held in Shusha. “Kharibulbul” International Music Festival, Vagif Poetry Days, several international sports events were held in this city, and finally, the Global Media Forum is being held today. I mean, this city was able to protect its identity. Although it was purposefully destroyed during the occupation.

I think that I will not make a long speech, let’s go directly to the discussion and answer the questions that interest you. I will stop here and give the floor to the moderator.

Moderator: Your Excellency, let me first thank you for being with us today. Ladies and gentlemen, as Mr. President mentioned, we are here to exchange different views.

Mr. President, with your permission, we will take questions from the participants. I would like to inform you that some participants have already submitted their questions in advance so that we can save time. I will play them one by one. However, we ask the participants to submit their questions to Mr. President.

Mr. President, may we begin with your permission?

TRT World, Turkey – Bora Bayraktar, come on.

Bora Bayraktar: Mr. President, thank you for the invitation. My question is related to Karabakh Victory. We know that relations between our countries are at a high level. Of course, the personal relations of the leaders are of exceptional importance in these relations. We know that your Excellency has a very good relationship with the President of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan, and this special relationship played a special role in the liberation of Karabakh.

Mr. President, the President of Turkey has already been elected for the next five years. This means that you will work together for the next five years. I think this is a great opportunity. Mr. President, what will be your priorities in the next five years? That is, in your opinion, what should we do together, what are the most urgent issues in terms of cooperation with Turkey?

President Ilham Aliyev:You are absolutely right, our personal friendship with President Erdogan is a well-known fact not only in the region, but in the world. This is a very important factor in terms of regional development and stability. At the same time, relations between the peoples of Turkey and Azerbaijan are, of course, based on long-term friendship and brotherhood. This is a very good foundation and our countries develop and support each other on this foundation. I would say that during the Second Karabakh War, Turkey, its leadership and people stood shoulder to shoulder with us from the first day, from the first hours. “Azerbaijan is not alone!” which President Erdogan gave in the first hours of the Karabakh war. statement was a great support for us. During all 44 days, we felt that spiritual support from our brothers. President Erdogan has publicly stated Turkey’s position several times, and other government officials have also expressed their views on the issue. This was a great moral and political support for us.

After the Victory in the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan and Turkey formalized their existing de facto relations, and we raised it to the level of alliance by signing the famous Shusha Declaration. That Declaration was signed a few hundred meters away from this hotel and raised our relations to the level of alliance. This is a great asset for our peoples and countries. This Declaration opens new horizons for us. Although before that, Azerbaijan and Turkey have shown unity, solidarity and mutual support in many fields. If we look at the broad agenda of our cooperation, we will see that there is cooperation in politics, energy, trade, transport, defense, defense industry and many other fields. That is, it is difficult to find an area where cooperation is not at a high level. I had no doubt that my brother President Erdogan will be re-elected. Because what he did for Turkey during the 20 years he was in power is a manifestation of his loyalty to his people and country. Today, Turkey is one of the global leaders. Turkey’s international reputation is growing every year. Of course, it is difficult to find a person in Azerbaijan who is not satisfied with the results of the elections. Of course, over the next five years, we will continue our close partnership, the world is changing, the situation in the region is changing. We must stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, achieve sustainable peace, and ensure security for the future. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Today, Turkey is one of the global leaders. Turkey’s international reputation is growing every year. Of course, it is difficult to find a person in Azerbaijan who is not satisfied with the results of the elections. Of course, over the next five years, we will continue our close partnership, the world is changing, the situation in the region is changing. We must stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, achieve sustainable peace, and ensure security for the future. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Today, Turkey is one of the global leaders. Turkey’s international reputation is growing every year. Of course, it is difficult to find a person in Azerbaijan who is not satisfied with the results of the elections. Of course, over the next five years, we will continue our close partnership, the world is changing, the situation in the region is changing. We must stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, achieve sustainable peace, and ensure security for the future. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. 

Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. not be satisfied with the results of the elections. Of course, over the next five years, we will continue our close partnership, the world is changing, the situation in the region is changing. We must stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, achieve sustainable peace, and ensure security for the future. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. not be satisfied with the results of the elections. Of course, over the next five years, we will continue our close partnership, the world is changing, the situation in the region is changing. We must stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, achieve sustainable peace, and ensure security for the future. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad. The role of Turkey in global issues and especially in our region is very important and important, it plays a stabilizing role. Turkey’s policy is to ensure regional security and regional development, and that role is highly valued both in Azerbaijan and abroad.

As you know, President Erdogan made his first state visit to Azerbaijan after the elections. This is tradition. When I was re-elected, I made my first trip to Turkey. In addition, as you know, I attended the inauguration ceremony of President Erdogan, and there we discussed future cooperation issues. Of course, I would not like to reveal all the issues, but it is known that Turkey and Azerbaijan will play a more important role in the region in the coming years. Of course, we will use this potential to bring our countries closer.

Moderator: James Flew, a journalist from the United States.

James Flew: Thank you, Mr. President, my question is about the threats against Azerbaijan. What do you see as the main threats to your country?

President Ilham Aliyev:You know, after liberating our lands, we do not see a potential threat to our country. First, there is no internal threat, the country is stable, the level of solidarity in the society is higher than ever, the economic development of the country is quite impressive. I would not like to get into the numbers, but if you are interested, you will see that the economy of Azerbaijan is self-sufficient, we are self-sufficient with our own resources and implement good management. From this point of view, the danger to us in the past was related to Armenia and its occupation. That danger originated from here for 30 years, and we have already overcome this danger. But, of course, we must be vigilant, we must not forget our past. We must not forget that we were stabbed in the back by our neighbors, at an unexpected moment, our neighbors stabbed us in the back and took advantage of the chaos in Azerbaijan at that time to invade our territories. At the same time, we should not forget that despite the results of the Second Karabakh War, today there are certain people in the Armenian society and even in the government who still live with revanchist ideas and they do not hide it. Therefore, we must be ready for any scenario. For this purpose, as soon as the Second Karabakh War ended, as soon as we demonstrated our magnificent Victory, we immediately started implementing deep reforms in the field of defense. I have already stated this publicly.

Today, our army is stronger than it was three years ago. This, of course, is needed. It also originates from our history, and we see that international legal norms are being grossly violated today. We see that international law is applied selectively. We have been subjected to this approach for many years. We raised our voices and said that the UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions that the Armenian troops should be immediately and unconditionally withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan. However, those resolutions were not followed and that trend continues today. When international law does not work, when the signature is not so important, the guarantee of peace is only force. In saying this, of course, we should not rule out the dangers that may arise in the future, because the world and our region today are difficult to predict. However, the threat level from abroad is not so high at the moment. Perhaps this is because we are able to cope with that threat. We raised our voices and said that the UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions that the Armenian troops should be immediately and unconditionally withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan. However, those resolutions were not followed and that trend continues today. When international law does not work, when the signature is not so important, the guarantee of peace is only force. In saying this, of course, we should not rule out the dangers that may arise in the future, because the world and our region today are difficult to predict. However, the threat level from abroad is not so high at the moment. Perhaps this is because we are able to cope with that threat. We raised our voices and said that the UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions that the Armenian troops should be immediately and unconditionally withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan. However, those resolutions were not followed and that trend continues today. When international law does not work, when the signature is not so important, the guarantee of peace is only force. In saying this, of course, we should not rule out the dangers that may arise in the future, because the world and our region today are difficult to predict. However, the threat level from abroad is not so high at the moment. Perhaps this is because we are able to cope with that threat. However, those resolutions were not followed and that trend continues today. When international law does not work, when the signature is not so important, the guarantee of peace is only force. In saying this, of course, we should not rule out the dangers that may arise in the future, because the world and our region today are difficult to predict. However, the threat level from abroad is not so high at the moment. Perhaps this is because we are able to cope with that threat. However, those resolutions were not followed and that trend continues today. When international law does not work, when the signature is not so important, the guarantee of peace is only force. In saying this, of course, we should not rule out the dangers that may arise in the future, because the world and our region today are difficult to predict. However, the threat level from abroad is not so high at the moment. Perhaps this is because we are able to cope with that threat.

Mikhail Gusman: With your permission, I want to ask a question. My name is Mikhail Gusman. I represent the TASS agency.

Dear Mr. President, a little more than a year ago – on February 23, we at the TASS agency had the honor to welcome you together with our colleagues, now some of them are in this hall together with the heads of the Russian mass media. This was the day after you signed the Moscow Declaration with the President of Russia. It’s been over a year. The world is in a more turbulent state. After the 44-day war, which Azerbaijan won, it is working consistently, but it is still not possible to conclude peace with Armenia. Russia is conducting a special military operation. In any case, how do you evaluate the development of this Memorandum you signed? How is it performed? What are its prospects? Are there any problems in the implementation of this Memorandum signed in Moscow on February 22?

I have one more question. Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: I think the Declaration signed last February is a stage in the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. The declaration includes the history of the development of these relations, which developed in different ways during the separate periods of independence, but which, as both countries have declared for many years, have risen to the level of strategic partnership. This was indeed the case, because if we look at the volume of work done by the two countries, it can be seen that both sides aimed at strengthening relations and cooperation based on concrete results.

We are well aware of the depth of these relations with you and the scope of our interaction is quite wide. Regulating the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where Russia played an important role as a mediator for many years, and also played an important role in the cessation of hostilities, namely the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, was one of these areas.

We remember those days well. It was the Russian side that played the unifying role between Armenia and Azerbaijan, – I mean between the leadership – on November 9, 2020, when the Tripartite Statement was being agreed upon. For this reason, the signing of the Declaration on Mutual Cooperation of the Alliance had a solid foundation.

As for the period after the signing, this period is a completely new period for peace, for our region, including for Russia and for us. However, despite this and such a serious change in the geopolitical situation, the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan since the signing of the Declaration has been quite successful. There were many contacts at the high level, there were contacts at the level of heads of government, foreign policy institutions and representatives of other government and public structures. Therefore, I can confidently say that the articles of the Declaration are fulfilled. The main thing is that there is political will at the leadership level. Taking advantage of the presence of media representatives and the fact that you will discuss both cooperation and problematic issues tomorrow and the day after, I want to say that

We know that for sure. But it’s also a matter of time, as they say, when media representatives are completely free to make their own assessments. Since the situation in our region changed dramatically after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, including the Second Karabakh war, different assessments, different analyzes and different opinions are inevitable. However, I would like to use this opportunity to say that, in any case, such points do not affect the political will of the Azerbaijani leadership. Therefore, I think that the future of our relations will be as positive and successful as in the past years. Considering that you started your question in Azerbaijani, I think you can ask your second question right now. Otherwise, there may not be enough time.

Mikhail Gusman: Thank you, Mr. President. Before my question, I would like to express my gratitude to you personally and to the organizers of this Forum. Because I visited Shusha, which was liberated two years ago, I was lucky enough to be lucky. Shusha is also changing really spectacularly and the Forum is also organized at an exceptional level. My second question is that Azerbaijan has been successfully leading the Non-Aligned Movement for the last few years, and a month ago I contacted your predecessor Ugandan President Museveni, talked and talked about Azerbaijan’s successful leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement over the years, and he specially emphasized that he had breathed new life into it. I have two questions about this. In what direction do you see the further formation of this movement? Secondly, a women’s forum and a youth forum were created here during the period when Azerbaijan chaired the Movement. We also consider the media here. How do you know, how do you see the organization of a media forum in the Non-Aligned Movement in Azerbaijan? Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:Thanks, that’s a great idea. I think it will be fully accepted by us. We don’t have much time left, as our presidency ends at the beginning of next year. Therefore, we should probably work together to achieve this. As you know, the initiative is “punished”, so I invite you to actively participate in the preparation of this event. In particular, as you mentioned, I can say without exaggeration that the Non-Aligned Movement will be very useful if we take into account the new breath during the presidency of Azerbaijan. It is not a secret that recently the Movement has been gradually degraded and it has practically become a platform for discussion of certain issues with no specific continuation. As in all things, we we also approached this work with great responsibility and began to advance step by step in the direction of institutional development. I think that the fact that Azerbaijan’s chairmanship was unanimously extended for another year – but actually for a year and a half – suggests that our activity is appreciated and needed. In addition to the formats you mentioned, I would add the parliamentary platform, which is also a very important element in terms of institutional development. We believe that the Movement should go exactly this way. Undoubtedly, after handing over our powers to Uganda in a few months, we will still be in the troika during Uganda’s chairmanship and, of course, we will actively participate in combining efforts and achieving concrete results in the activities of the Movement. – but actually for a year and a half, – suggests that our activity is appreciated and needed. In addition to the formats you mentioned, I would add the parliamentary platform, which is also a very important element in terms of institutional development. We believe that the Movement should go exactly this way. Undoubtedly, after handing over our powers to Uganda in a few months, we will still be in the troika during Uganda’s chairmanship and, of course, we will actively participate in combining efforts and achieving concrete results in the activities of the Movement. – but actually for a year and a half, – suggests that our activity is appreciated and needed. In addition to the formats you mentioned, I would add the parliamentary platform, which is also a very important element in terms of institutional development. We believe that the Movement should go exactly this way. Undoubtedly, after handing over our powers to Uganda in a few months, we will still be in the troika during Uganda’s chairmanship and, of course, we will actively participate in combining efforts and achieving concrete results in the activities of the Movement. it is also a very important element in terms of institutional development. 

We believe that the Movement should go exactly this way. Undoubtedly, after handing over our powers to Uganda in a few months, we will still be in the troika during Uganda’s chairmanship and, of course, we will actively participate in combining efforts and achieving concrete results in the activities of the Movement. it is also a very important element in terms of institutional development. We believe that the Movement should go exactly this way. Undoubtedly, after handing over our powers to Uganda in a few months, we will still be in the troika during Uganda’s chairmanship and, of course, we will actively participate in combining efforts and achieving concrete results in the activities of the Movement.

I must say that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we demonstrated leadership in attracting the attention of the world community to this problem. Azerbaijan, as the chairman, was one of the countries that actively spoke against vaccine nationalism. We spared no one, calling the countries by their names – they received five times more vaccines than they needed, although at the same time, many poor countries remained unprotected. That is, among others, it is simply dishonesty. With our initiative, a database was created in the countries of the Movement, and the World Health Organization also used this database. In addition, we have allocated 10 million US dollars for humanitarian and financial aid and have helped many countries with vaccines. That is, the countries of the Movement saw that this structure, even if it was not an organization,

When I accepted the chairmanship at the Summit held in Baku, I said that we will defend international law, justice and the legitimate interests of the member countries. I think we have successfully overcome this problem. I want to believe that after we hand over the powers of the chairmanship, the positive dynamics will continue. Anyway, we will do our best for it.

Moderator: “Real” Analysis and Information Center, Mirshahin Agayev.

Mirshahin Agayev: Mr. President, I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to ask questions to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Shusha after 29 years. Let’s keep in mind that tomorrow is National Press Day, it’s a holiday for all of us, and I ask you to accept my gratitude on behalf of all our media as the head of state, Muzaffar Commander-in-Chief, for making this holiday doubly great.

My question is about your hand sign. It happens like that, you reach out and it happens “Iron Fist”. We have heard this statement a lot in Shusha and every time we have seen the real echo and impact of this statement. My question today is a little further down from Shusha, towards Khankendi. You know that the remnants of the separatist forces are carrying out certain events there and are engaged in disinformation. It seems that Azerbaijan is blocking someone and something. Although, recently I prepared a special edition of “Mirshahin’s Time” on Lachin Road, and there they saw everything, how “Red Cross” vehicles come and go, how warm and gentle the attitude towards people is. These are in their place.
What do you demand from us in order to combat this type of misinformation among the tasks facing the “New Media in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution”? Because you brought us to Victory. You were also in front of us in our media struggle, and you were the key person in breaking the information blockade of Azerbaijan. We followed you. Therefore, I want your advice in this matter. Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:Thank you. I think that today the Azerbaijani media is doing great things in this direction. Of course, the general direction was already clear. During the occupation, all of us, every patriotic Azerbaijani, regardless of his position, tirelessly went towards a goal. In my speeches during the occupation, I repeatedly said that the day will come, the day of freedom will come, each of us must bring this day closer every moment, we brought it closer and closer. This is our national Victory. In other words, the people of Azerbaijan deserved this Victory.

Of course, the restoration of international law, our territorial integrity, all these are fundamental rights, and we won this right on the battlefield, shedding blood and giving martyrs. But, at the same time, the activity of the Azerbaijani media in this field is valuable, including because the media was our first tool to convey the problem we face to the world community not only from the perspective of international law, but from the general human perspective. That’s why I always mentioned this during meetings with media representatives in previous times, that is, during the occupation period. I mentioned that we should reach more international audiences.

You will probably agree that in the past, we used to say more than we heard. It was like we were trying to prove something to ourselves. It was important. It was important to keep the issue on the agenda, to educate the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism. It was those sons who liberated Shusha and other occupied lands at that time, most of whom had never seen Shusha, Aghdam, or any other occupied land. That is, education at home, in homes, education in schools, and constant maintenance of this issue by the media greatly strengthened the internal unity. Of course, with state policy at the forefront. However, at a later stage, we began to reach out to a more international audience.

That is, we have these opportunities, and the publications of many of our media resources in different languages, websites and other electronic means are also available. Today, we are again condemned to prove our truth. Because the campaign against us continues today. Those who cannot digest our Victory, who are jealous of our success, and who have started an open information war against us, we must and do respond with solid, real arguments. It is the result of this that today, despite all these slanders, slanders and lies, the word of Azerbaijan, the rightful voice of the people and state of Azerbaijan is heard, and the main tool for this is our media resources. Therefore, the solidarity and unity that exists in the society provides us with this advantage. Those who cannot digest our Victory, who are jealous of our success, and who have started an open information war against us, we must and do respond with solid, real arguments. It is the result of this that today, despite all these slanders, slanders and lies, the word of Azerbaijan, the rightful voice of the people and state of Azerbaijan is heard, and the main tool for this is our media resources. Therefore, the solidarity and unity that exists in the society provides us with this advantage. Those who cannot digest our Victory, who are jealous of our success, and who have started an open information war against us, we must and do respond with solid, real arguments. It is the result of this that today, despite all these slanders, slanders and lies, the word of Azerbaijan, the rightful voice of the people and state of Azerbaijan is heard, and the main tool for this is our media resources. Therefore, the solidarity and unity that exists in the society provides us with this advantage.

As for recommendations, to be honest, I’m a bit far from it. Because the independence of the Azerbaijani media is one of the main conditions for the development of our society, this is the first. Secondly, you yourself know everything very well, and I am very glad that the healing process in our media is going on successfully, and articles that are against the interests of the people and may harm the interests of the state appear very rarely. That is, this is again a factor that indicates the responsibility of media representatives. That’s why my advice to media representatives is to keep going.

Moderator: Mr. President, in fact, the questions we receive from the participants are increasing and we see quite active participation. We hope to have time to field questions. Jordan Morgan from United Kingdom.

Jordan Morgan: Mr. President, thank you for your hospitality. My name is Jordan, I’m from the United Kingdom. My questions are, what opportunities do you see for Azerbaijan and the West Asian region? Because, as you know, China and Saudi Arabia are getting closer, and what are the prospects for Azerbaijan in this regard?

President Ilham Aliyev: In terms of relations for our Asian countries? Did I understand correctly?

Jordan Morgan: No, in terms of prospects for the entire region.

President Ilham Aliyev:You know, in fact, regional development – I mean the South Caucasus – mainly depends on the improvement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Currently, a number of international organizations are trying to help us find a mutually acceptable solution. Of course, what we have seen so far is that all international organizations understand that these solutions must be based on international law. Almost three years have passed since the end of the Second Karabakh War, and we are hearing more and more direct statements that Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. If such statements were made during the occupation, the Second Karabakh War would probably not have started. Unfortunately, the negotiations within the framework of the Minsk Group for many years – 28 years – did not bring any results. In general, no formula for the solution was revealed. Very controversial at that time, very abstract statements were made, the purpose of which was to freeze the conflict, and this was not acceptable for Azerbaijan. Some of them tried to freeze this conflict, to make the negotiations endless and to instill a certain cooperation in Azerbaijan through public diplomacy initiatives. Thus, we will be forced to do business with Armenia, to improve relations, and supposedly the conflict should be resolved by future generations.

During the occupation, I have repeatedly expressed the importance of imposing sanctions against Armenia in front of the public and international organizations, and this was undoubtedly based on the declarations and decisions of international organizations. The resolutions of the UN Security Council, the decisions of the Council of Europe, as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, even the European Parliament – although it is currently quite pro-Armenian, there was a resolution adopted by it that reflected the reality – but these sanctions did not take place, they were not applied against Armenia. Because the geopolitical routine was completely different.

So we had to deal with it ourselves. We had to implement the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council on the battlefield, and now the situation has changed. Let me note that none of the international actors in those times, i.e. today, “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!” international actors never uttered this statement. Such phrases were used in connection with other conflicts in the post-Soviet space. As for Azerbaijan, they said that you should come to an agreement. They said you have to integrate self-determination and territorial integrity. They knew that it was impossible, they knew the impossibility of it. There are fundamental principles of international law, territorial integrity and self-determination of peoples are these principles.

But now the situation is different and the international mediators, so to speak, express their position and they come from a more realistic point of view. You know, I have heard many times, especially during the occupation, they said that Azerbaijan should accept the reality, or rather take it into account. I say I agree. At present, everyone must take into account the new reality. Because it is impossible to think about a solution without accepting the 30-year occupation period, the period of destruction, as well as the realities of the Second Karabakh war. However, currently the efforts of international mediators are not enough. Currently, there are three international parties that support this process – the United States, Russia and the European Union. Azerbaijan has sincerely participated in this process in three directions and shows a result-oriented approach. But so far there is no result. because i think Armenia should take the last step. They have already taken a number of steps after the war, and I would not say that these steps were taken voluntarily. In the last two and a half years, there have been several moments, and they directly demonstrated to Armenia that if they do not recognize our territorial integrity, we will not recognize their territorial integrity. It is quite clear to them what this means. They have already accepted that Karabakh is Azerbaijan.

They have declared this openly and it is now the stage of signing the document. This is the last important point. If this step is taken, – negotiations are underway at the level of the negotiating team and foreign ministers, you know that the next negotiations will take place in Moscow in the near future, – if Armenia agrees to this point and renounces any territorial claims against Azerbaijan, it is quite possible that this agreement will be signed by the end of the year. But if not, we cannot force them. We have not been able to force them to comply with international law for 28 years. We only forced it at the expense of force. But in this case there will be no peace. This is not a good scenario for the region, it will not result in stability and security. However, at the same time, given the very sensitive geopolitical situation, it will create difficulties in the future. So, as you know, there are three mediators. Each of these can use mechanisms at a sufficiently international level to operate independently. We hope to see evolution, progress in one of these three. We only forced it at the expense of force. But in this case there will be no peace. This is not a good scenario for the region, it will not result in stability and security. However, at the same time, given the very sensitive geopolitical situation, it will create difficulties in the future. So, as you know, there are three mediators. Each of these can use mechanisms at a sufficiently international level to operate independently. We hope to see evolution, progress in one of these three. We only forced it at the expense of force. But in this case there will be no peace. This is not a good scenario for the region, it will not result in stability and security. However, at the same time, given the very sensitive geopolitical situation, it will create difficulties in the future. So, as you know, there are three mediators. Each of these can use mechanisms at a sufficiently international level to operate independently. We hope to see evolution, progress in one of these three. Each of these can use mechanisms at a sufficiently international level to operate independently. We hope to see evolution, progress in one of these three. Each of these can use mechanisms at a sufficiently international level to operate independently. We hope to see evolution, progress in one of these three.

Moderator: The next question is Mr. Mauricio Geri, representative of Italy.

Mauricio Geri: Thank you, Mr. President, this is my second time in Shusha. Thank you for hosting us. My question is about the last two weeks. I attended the Summer Energy School at ADA University for two weeks. I want to ask about Azerbaijan’s role as a bridge between Europe and Central Asia. Especially in connection with the complete consumption of gas and other energy from countries such as China and Russia. I know that there are projects with Turkmenistan – if Turkmenistan agrees, I know that you are also a partner in this project – what kind of support should Europe or Italy provide so that this process develops?

President Ilham Aliyev:Regarding the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, I have already stated my position several times. I want to repeat once again that this is not a project initiated by Azerbaijan. Because the projects initiated by Azerbaijan are those projects that are based on the resources of the countries. For example, the Southern Gas Corridor. We are the initiators of that project, we are one of the main shareholders, and in fact we act as the coordinator of all interstate and intergovernmental agreements of that project. As you know, this project was successfully implemented, and for two years now, Azerbaijan has become an important supplier of gas to Europe, and the President of the European Commission calls Azerbaijan a reliable partner. The energy commissioner of the European Union calls Azerbaijan a pan-European gas supplier. Of course we as for the Trans-Caspian project, this project is based on the gas reserves of Turkmenistan as an idea. Therefore, it is not up to us to put forward this initiative or invest in it. What can we do? We can offer our existing infrastructure or we can offer a certain area to build new infrastructure. However, at the same time, we should not forget that today Azerbaijan is busy expanding the pipeline that was built three years ago. Why? Because the demand is increasing. If the TAP pipeline was calculated for 10 billion cubic meters, it should be increased to 20 billion cubic meters. TANAP should be increased from 16 to 32. This was not expected of us before. But now it is expected and the situation has changed. so that Why are we talking about expansion? Azerbaijan will produce more gas and every new year produces more than the previous year. For example, in 2021, we exported 19 billion cubic meters, last year it has already risen to 22, and this year it will be 24. In these months that we have not met you, we have announced the discovery of the “Absheron” gas field, which has at least 300 billion cubic meters of reserves, and already the first dry one is more productive than all the wells in “Shah Deniz”. Therefore, the expansion of our pipeline system is related to the increase of our own resources. As for additional gas reserves from the Eastern shores of the Caspian Sea, for this, the Trans-Caspian underwater gas pipeline should be built, and secondly, new infrastructure such as the Southern Gas Corridor from Baku to Europe is needed. The question arises, who will finance this important project? There is no answer to this question yet. Until we find an answer to this question, the implementation of the project or thinking about this issue will not be so realistic. At the same time, we know that European banks do not finance fossil fuel projects. Therefore, it will be difficult to attract serious funds for this project. For example, when we built the Southern Gas Corridor, we attracted funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, along with corporate funding. But now, two of them – European institutions do not currently finance projects related to fossil fuels. They fund green transition projects. This, of course, makes the situation more difficult. Fluctuations in gas prices in Europe also raise new questions. Also, the limit on the price – I think it is unacceptable, consumers set that upper limit – which is against the principles of any market economy. European countries have been supporters of market economy principles for years. So, from a realistic point of view, this is a very serious problem. But if someone wants to build the Trans-Caspian pipeline, we will be glad. As a result, we will be paid additional transit fees and new cooperation opportunities will arise.

Vusala Mahirgizi, executive director of “APA Group”: Mr. President, I want to ask about the return. Currently, the population is being transferred to Lachin under the Great Return Program. The residents of which district will be welcomed in their districts next? My second question may seem a little personal to you. When Karabakh was liberated, you were the first to come here after our army. Then you visit Karabakh very often, every time you come, we follow, new projects and new places are opened. How does it make you feel? A completely broken place and building it in cobblestones every time. How do you feel? How does it feel to be a winning President in general?

President Ilham Aliyev:You know, the emotions I feel are no different from the emotions felt by the people of Azerbaijan. The only difference is that I see these places, as they say, often. Most people see it through television. But, at the same time, as you know, tours are now being organized to the liberated areas, and as you mentioned, citizens are also rapidly returning to the liberated lands.

Of course, first of all, I feel proud. Every time I come to Karabakh and East Zangazur, the first thing I feel is a sense of pride. Because it is impossible not to be proud of my people, our Army, our heroes. I know, and you also know, how our heroic soldiers and officers crossed the Victory Road to reach Shusha, how they faced the enemy armed with light weapons, cannons, tanks, artillery, and in some cases died in hand-to-hand combat. How high is the spirit of the Azerbaijani people. That is, all this introduced our people to each of us once again. He once again showed each of us, first of all, to the whole world, how the Azerbaijani people have high moral qualities.

It is very hard for each of us to see the destroyed cities and villages. We cannot come to terms with this pain. Although I have already been to the liberated areas perhaps more than a hundred times in the last three years or so. Every time I see the ruins, my heart hurts, every time I ask myself: why did the people we consider neighbors resort to this barbarism? After all, what did we do to them? We were the defeated party in the First Karabakh War. We did not destroy their cities, we did not destroy their graves, we did not remove the bones of their dead. Why did they do it? How much hatred these people had in their hearts for us to commit these inhuman acts. I mean, I still can’t figure it out, and probably no normal person will ever figure it out.

At the same time, every time I see a new development project or participate in the foundation ceremony, it’s as if, as they say, blood is pumped into my veins, that is, it gives me so much positive energy that this positive spiritual energy also strengthens a person physically. Only, look, it’s not the weather of this region, – I’m sure you feel the same way, – we feel good in Shusha, or Zangilan, Lachin. It’s happiness that comes from within, not just for the weather. What is happiness, many ask themselves. But every time I see this development, I say to myself, it must be happiness, look, this is it.

As for the Great Return Program, we have approved the Master Plan of more than 30 cities and villages, the foundations of many villages have been laid, and these numbers have already been announced. We will repatriate more than 150,000 people in both Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur regions over the next three years. Now we are, as they say, in the preliminary stage of work. Because design and tender procedures take a lot of time. We want everything to be in order, according to the law, to be completely transparent, and this takes time. I am sure that the former settlers understand this. But only 140 thousand people are expected to return to the Karabakh region by 2026. I hope that the first residents will arrive and settle in the city of Shusha next year. Now, you probably didn’t have time today, either in the evening or tomorrow, you will walk around, you will see that in several places construction projects have already been completed.

Of course, the demining process is the biggest hurdle. Because the work we have done during these two and a half years not only shows that we have financial opportunities. It shows that we have very serious experience and professional personnel. I don’t think anyone would have thought of implementing projects of this scale in two and a half years. No one could have imagined that such large-scale work would be done in just two and a half years, and work is going on day and night in a large area – 10,000 square kilometers. The Azerbaijani public is also informed from time to time, both about the plans and about the work done. When the Master Plans of the cities were approved, the opinions of the people who lived in those cities were also taken into account. I also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the cities together with the former settlers. That is, we really want

Moderator: Next question, Majid Shalki from Egypt.

Majid Shalki: Mr. President, I am from the Middle East News Agency. Mr. President, you spoke about the threats to your country and your post-war efforts. You mentioned mines. How do landmines affect people’s daily lives? How does this also hinder development projects? How do you deal with it? Because demining is a very expensive process.

President Ilham Aliyev:Yes, you have touched the most important point. Because after the end of the war, mines killed more than three hundred people or seriously injured them. That is, the explosion of about three hundred mines took place in the liberated areas. This is a war crime, burying mines is a war crime. But not presenting the map of those mines is a continuation of Armenia’s terror against us. We know they have those maps because that’s how mines are buried. Minesweepers have a map because they can fall into that mine themselves. First, at the highest level, the Prime Minister of Armenia personally told us that they do not have such maps. Finally, they got such a map. So why did they lie to us? Because they wanted Azerbaijanis to continue dying. be crippled. They then presented us with mine maps. But the accuracy of those maps was not even 25 percent. That is, it had no meaning. These were very pointless maps. We are making serious efforts and implementing measures to be free from mines. We bought equipment, brought special machines. One of our local companies has already started producing them in Azerbaijan. We have invited private companies and several private companies have been established in this direction and they have joined this process. Our state demining agency ANAMA, together with relevant units of the Ministry of Defense and specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, are working day and night to clear the areas of mines. However, according to our estimate, more than one million landmines have been buried in our territories. The map given to us by the Armenians covers approximately 400,000 mines. In other words, they admitted that they buried more than 400,000 landmines. But we know, and this is pretty accurate information, that the number of mines is close to 1 million. We have received several proposals from international companies to work in this field. Unfortunately, the price was too high. I don’t want to go into details, but this number was 8-10 times more than what we had. That is, our local companies and ANAMA carry out demining activities 8 or 10 times cheaper than international companies. We actively use drones. Thanks to some brilliant minds, we already have such drones. This is a great help to us. But we understand that this is a very long process. Unfortunately, we must know that there will be victims in the future. Armenians continue to terrorize us. We have cordoned off demined areas and access to demined areas is still restricted. This allows us to prevent losses. But former IDPs should be very careful when they return en masse. I hereby appeal to them not to visit unauthorized areas. This is quite dangerous. This is one of the biggest dangers. Unfortunately, such a threat awaits us for many years ahead. it is quite dangerous. This is one of the biggest dangers. Unfortunately, such a threat awaits us for many years ahead. it is quite dangerous. This is one of the biggest dangers. Unfortunately, such a threat awaits us for many years ahead.

Moderator: Gela Vasadze from Georgia.

Gela Vasadze: Mr. President, first of all, thank you for organizing such a large-scale and wonderful event. I was really impressed. I agree with you that there should be several steps or one step towards peace. However, peace depends on how the process of integration of the Armenian population of Karabakh will go. When I talk to my friends about that nation, I ask them: “Give me the phone number of this nation.” Have you found the phone number of Karabakh Armenians? Do you know this phone? Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:We have repeatedly stated our position on this issue and have shown maximum constructiveness. But, unfortunately, the junta that seized power in Karabakh and those who sometimes call themselves “president”, sometimes “ministers”, and sometimes “deputies” are already making everyone laugh. They took hostage the residents of the area where the Russian peacekeeping contingent was temporarily stationed.

We took the initiative, I appointed a special representative to engage in contact with representatives of Karabakh Armenians, and he was sent to Karabakh for the purpose of establishing these contacts. The first meeting took place right there, at the base of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Khojaly settlement. After that, we invited representatives of Karabakh Armenians to Baku to continue the dialogue. But they refused, and ostentatiously. After some time we invited them again. There might have been some mistake, there might have been a mistake in making sure they didn’t really want it. Again they refused. But I said then that there will be no third invitation. If they don’t want it, they don’t want it.

But you probably know what happened next. Construction of a checkpoint on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia. If you follow the chronology of all our activities, even to the beginning of the Second Karabakh war, you will see the logic and strong argument that we are right. We haven’t done anything that we can be ashamed of or say, “yeah, look, we’re wrong here.” We did everything right.

We gave the Armenian leadership a chance for two years before the start of the Second Karabakh war, but they did not use it. We gave a chance even when the Lachin-Khankendi road was just an “arbitrary passage” and the mines produced by Armenia in 2021 were sent through this road. We discovered and found these mines. We invited the representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, as well as the representatives of the Russia-Turkey monitoring center located in Agdam, showed them and asked the question: “How were these mines brought to Karabakh?” Who brought them? Who missed it?”. However, this is not possible. Since Armenia continues terrorism, why should we die in our own territory after Victory?!

Therefore, all our steps were logical, justified, wise and quite courageous. For this reason, the establishment of a checkpoint at the border was an important stage in the post-conflict period, and the conditions have changed significantly. Also, the full acceptance of these actions, although not immediately and by all actors willingly, was ultimately accepted as legitimate. This was also a message. But how many times should we send a message, how many times should we signal? Were these already few? Both the Farrukh operation, the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijani border in May 2021, the situation on the border in September 2022, and the checkpoint. After all, how many times do we have to text them? Don’t they understand?

Therefore, the issue of reintegration now depends on when the Armenian residents of Karabakh can get rid of these mistakes, this junta that took them hostage and exploited them like slaves. Even now they are exploiting, because when the eco-activists went to the Lachin-Khankendi road, the so-called “Armenian leadership” in Khankendi did not allow ordinary citizens to use this road. They put up a blockade and accused us of blockade. Today, they again laid concrete slabs on the Agdam-Asgaran road. You may ask “why should food products be imported from another country?” After all, you said “Karabakh is Azerbaijan”. Is it so? Does everyone agree? Everyone approves. Does anyone say it isn’t? Nope. Then why should the goods be brought from another country? It doesn’t make sense. But instead of accepting this gesture, concrete blocks are placed there. Who is blocking whom? So that’s the whole point.

Today, sitting in tents and protesting someone is a comedy show. This is just an anecdote. The protests of people who call themselves “presidents” and the sit-in strike have been the subject of jokes by some of our journalists. Probably, the next stage will be a “prolonged” holiday. Then I don’t know what it will be, but it won’t help matters. We are ready to move forward through reintegration within the framework of our Constitution and the good practice of how to resolve these issues in Azerbaijan, respecting the rights and security of the Armenian minority in Karabakh.

Azerbaijan is a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state, and this is our strength. All representatives of ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan have the same rights and duties, and the same level of security. Why any ethnic group should stand out against this background is not entirely clear to me either. Well, that’s our approach. Until now, we have not lost our faith that the common-sense part of the society living in Khankendi and its surroundings will understand the impossibility of ignoring Azerbaijan and that common sense will prevail. Otherwise, I think only the naive can count on someone coming and fighting for them now. There were several stages for them to understand and come to terms with the realities.

They have appealed to different authorities, from neighboring states to some distant countries. But, I think, no one in his right mind will fight with us on the territory of Azerbaijan. Therefore, they must eventually understand and come to terms with these realities. I have already said that during the occupation, mediators repeatedly told me that “the First Karabakh war ended like this, you must accept the realities.” But I did not accept them and did not. But now I say again: let’s accept these realities, if these realities change, it will not be good either for Armenia or the Armenian minority of Karabakh. Therefore, I hope that they will hear these words and draw the right conclusions.

Paolo von Schirach, President of the Global Policy Institute: Mr. President, thank you for your hospitality. You won the war, now you have to make peace. What message can you give to American companies who want to work in Azerbaijan today? Of course, the oil and gas field is obvious. But what message do you have for American companies and business leaders in other areas to act in a mutually beneficial and transparent manner? Of course, this activity should be for the benefit of your people who suffered from the war. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev:Of course, our priority today is the development of the non-oil sector. We are increasing the share of the non-oil sector of our economy in the gross domestic product year by year. It is already above 50 percent. Today, we are also increasing non-oil exports. My message to American companies may be that today capital and investment are going to predictable and stable places, such a place is Azerbaijan. Even during the occupation, Azerbaijan was a place of stability. However, of course, the unresolved Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict created certain difficulties and caused certain risks. However, after the end of the Second Karabakh war, those risks were generally reduced to a minimum.

Our government has a very visionary and predictable program. We have a program related to development and improving the business environment. I think that foreign people living in Azerbaijan can confirm that there are very positive changes in management in our country, especially in our financial system. In terms of corporate management, there are big changes in our companies. We are already in the final stages of that process, and our goal is to fully comply with international standards. The economy of our country is stable. Our foreign debt is about 10 percent of the gross domestic product. Our foreign exchange reserves are also more than 10 times the gross domestic product and we can close our foreign debt within a week.

Our trade turnover is carried out with a large surplus. During these last six months, our export-import surplus was equal to 10 billion dollars. The political situation is stable. Azerbaijan has proven itself as a reliable partner in the field of oil and gas, and today it is actively working on coordination issues, taking into account its geographical location and already very modern transport infrastructure. So here are our general messages for companies. I think this is a good message for companies that want to come to Azerbaijan.

As for the priority areas, of course the number one issue is the reconstruction of the liberated areas. Today, numerous international companies operate as contractors in the liberated areas.

Another important area in which we are actively working is digitization. A large amount of financial resources have been allocated to that sector. We have great potential. I know that some American companies are already interested in renewable energy. We have great potential in this field. People who know Baku well know that Baku is a very windy city, and of course, sometimes when the wind is strong, it creates a problem. However, at the same time, we see that the wind will also bring great income in the Caspian Sea. The International Finance Corporation has already calculated. According to the calculation, there is a potential of 157 gigawatts in the Caspian Sea alone. New renewable energy companies are already operating. An agreement was signed between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania, and the President of the European Union was also present. According to that project, we will build a green energy line from Azerbaijan to Europe through the bottom of the Black Sea. The initial calculation has already been done and we expect the feasibility study to be submitted probably in September-October. The first meeting of the Project Steering Committee was held in February in Baku.

By the end of this year, the first solar power station with a capacity of 240 megawatts will be commissioned, but this is only the first. We have signed memorandums and agreements at the level of 10 gigawatts. Thus, the feasibility study has been started. If half of those memoranda are implemented, it will be enough for us to be able to export electricity to a large geographical area in Europe. This will also allow us to save natural gas to generate electricity, and we will export those volumes to the international market. So, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

I would also like to see American companies in agriculture. We, of course, use the leading equipment of American companies in the field of agriculture and irrigation. However, I want to see an investor, because the agricultural potential of the agricultural sector of Azerbaijan, especially the liberated areas, is quite large. There are very fertile lands here, and 25 percent of our water resources originate from Karabakh. Can you imagine, we were deprived of this for 30 years. Armenians closed the dams and dams, and 100 thousand hectares of our land were deprived of water. We had to dig artesian wells. Today, that water is not only the life source of Karabakh, but we will also bring those water resources to the central regions of Azerbaijan. Such a pipeline will be built.

I would also like to add the transport sector to agriculture. Of course, the transport sector is an international sector, that is, a country cannot be a transport hub. That is, to become a node, you need to work with neighbors. In this area, we have great international cooperation with our neighbors and there is great potential for expanding the transport infrastructure.

Moderator: Your Excellency, next question, Muhammed Al Kadi from Al Jazeera TV.

Muhammed Al Kadi: Thank you very much, dear President. Thank you for your hospitality in this beautiful city of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan. The question will be in Arabic, let it be known that there are indeed Arabs in this Forum. Because the Arabs were also following the war in Karabakh with great interest, and we saw that you were talking to them about the damage to museums, centers, and mosques. You were also talking about historical places, monuments, and the destruction of thousands of manuscripts and books. In your opinion, why did the Armenians commit these planned destructions against the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan?

Our other question is, when will the reconstruction of Karabakh be finished and how long will it take? Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev:The process of reconstruction of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur is divided into stages. The Great Return Program has been adopted. Financial resources have been mobilized for the implementation of the program. To date, spending on infrastructure and urban planning by the end of the year will be approximately $7 billion. So, this is just the beginning. It is difficult to say how long the implementation of this program, which is divided into stages, will take. Because in the first stage, our main task is to rebuild 8 cities and 100 villages. People have already settled in several settlements – Agalı village of Zangilan district, Talish village of Tarter district and Lachin city.

But this process is gradual. 1 million people suffering from the occupation must return to their ancestral lands. I should also mention that before we started the rehabilitation work, we conducted an informal survey among the former IDPs to see if they intend to return to their ancestral lands or not. The good news is that the absolute majority of IDPs gave a positive answer. This, of course, increases the amount of work to be done, and I think that the rehabilitation of the cities will be possible in the next five years.

I can say on the example of the city of Lachin, that this city was completely rebuilt in just eight months and today there are facilities for more than 700 families. Both individual houses and multi-apartment houses. By September 15, the school will be ready, the kindergarten will be ready, the hospital will be ready, and other social facilities are being built.

Therefore, I am sure that in the next five years, people will live in all liberated cities. But the urban development plan is, of course, more extensive. Because, for example, if we take the city of Aghdam, approximately 40, maybe 50,000 people lived in this city before the occupation. According to our master plan, about 100,000 people will live in Agdam city. Of course, all this will be done in stages. Because funds should be spent when people are ready to go there.

As for your first question, I mentioned in my comments that I still can’t understand where the source of this cruelty and hatred comes from. Because Armenians have been living in Azerbaijan for a long time. Their mass migration to Karabakh began in the first half of the 19th century. As a result of the Kurakchay Treaty in 1805, the Karabakh Khanate was included in the Russian Empire, and with the Gulustan and Turkmenchay treaties signed after that, other khanates of Azerbaijan were included in the Russian Empire. After that, the process of mass settlement of Armenians from Iran and Eastern Anatolia began. There are many documents that confirm this. Writings, letters, statements of prominent statesmen – all this is confirmed historically. That is, they came to these lands – Karabakh land as guests, including Shusha. They claimed that Shusha is an Armenian city. First, the history of the city of Shusha does not go back so far. In 1752, Panahali Khan built a city in Shusha, and last year Azerbaijan declared “Shusha Year”. Because we were celebrating the 270th anniversary of Shusha. From its creation to the occupation, the absolute majority of people living in Shusha were Azerbaijanis.

If Shusha was an Armenian city, why was it in such a sad state? Why were 17 springs of Shusha dried up by Armenians during the occupation? I was especially interested when I came to Shusha on November 14, 2021. Because Shusha was a city of 17 mosques and 17 springs. If this was your city, why did you dry up the springs? Why didn’t you leave one stone on another in Shusha? There are two or three new villas built during the occupation in Shusha, and they are on the Lachin-Khankendi road. One of them belongs to the head of the junta located in Khankendi, Karabakh. It is said that one was donated by the head of the junta to one of the leaders of Armenia, and the owner of the other is unknown.

Besides, the Khankendi junta left no stone unturned in Shusha. As for other cities, their hatred towards Azerbaijan and our people does not fit into the normal human psyche. Psychologists and psychiatrists should conduct more analysis and tell us what is the reason for this cruelty and barbarism? In other words, they stole gravestones, erased the names of Azerbaijanis and used them as gravestones for their loved ones. What kind of moral is this? Or digging up the graves of Azerbaijanis, extracting the gold teeth from the skulls of the dead and melting them and selling them in the market is not compatible with morality? I am not talking about the ecological damage – 60 thousand hectares of forest fund were destroyed by Armenians, chopped up and then sold as parquet.

When the second Karabakh war ended, Russia appealed to us to give them time to leave the lands – Aghdam, Kalbajar, Lachin. We still haven’t forgotten that shameful scene. They cut trees, burned houses, burned trees, and in the houses where Azerbaijanis lived, where they had illegally settled, even, as they say, dismantled their cheapest things and carried them on their backs in front of the whole world. So, what name can be given to it? So what can we expect from the owners of these deeds? Everything I say is 100 percent true. I am not exaggerating anything in the slightest. I’m not saying much yet.

There may be a reason that they did this in order to completely Armenianize this region, to erase the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan, and to make these lands unfit for living in the future in their world. Because these ruins you see – the cities of Fuzuli and Aghdam, which suffered the greatest destruction, there is not a single intact building left – are not the ruins of the war. Those ruins are the ruins resulting from the demolition of these houses after the First Karabakh War. They removed the stones one by one and sold them here and there. So, what can you call it?

We do not touch the historical heritage of the Armenian people. Look, there is an Armenian church here in Shusha. Anyone can go and see, not a single stone has been touched there, on the contrary, it is protected there. That is, this is our attitude and we are not going to take revenge on them for their actions. Even during the war and after the war, I said that we should take revenge on the battlefield, and we did, and we also took the blood of our martyrs on the battlefield. We have never fought against civilians. But during the war, they fired at our peaceful cities with “Iskander”, “Tochka”, and “Scud” missiles. About a hundred innocent people, including 12 children, died as a result of this reckless firing.

So, you know, having said all of this, I still want to say that this memory is not, will not, and should not be erased. The people of Azerbaijan should never forget this. Again, not for revenge, he must remember so that it never happens again. Because we made a mistake once, we trusted the neighbors too much and then we had to suffer for it.

Anyway, everything is obvious. These gatherings are important, among other things, because the representatives of the international media gathered here will see everything with their own eyes and will convey the truths of Azerbaijan to their countries, representatives of their countries, and the public. We want it.

During the occupation, it was a kind of forbidden zone. They still let some foreigners into the city of Shusha, but they didn’t let anyone into the regions of Agdam and Fuzuli. Because the person who came would see everything. But now everything is obvious and it shows once again what historical result we have achieved. We not only defeated Armenia, we broke the back of Armenian fascism. We almost saved the Armenian people from these evils. Maybe this bitter defeat in the Second Karabakh War will be a lesson for them, and they will sit down and think about how to live in this region from now on, confess their sins, confess their crimes, bring criminals to justice. This process has already started. In Armenia, the executioners whose hands are soaked in the blood of the Azerbaijani people are punished by the Armenian authorities. this is is fair and should be continued. But in that case, there can be real reconciliation between peoples. A peace treaty can be signed, but the main issue is to take steps towards reconciliation at the public level, and the first of them is the confession of their sins by the Armenians.

Igor Korotchenko , Russian military expert: Thank you, Mr. President. In your speech, you mentioned that the world is turbulent, everything is changing very quickly, and against this background, Azerbaijan is achieving success. He stood like a rock. For many countries, Azerbaijan today is an example of solving the most diverse problems. Mr. President, the strategic vision of the future of Azerbaijan is in your hands. How do you see the future of Azerbaijan? Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:First of all, thank you for your appreciation of the work we do and the position the country is in. In principle, the directions of strategic development were determined many years ago. The only point is that life adds its own changes and we have to integrate the changing realities into our plans. But I wouldn’t say that it is fundamental. After the liberation of the occupied territories, of course, socio-economic issues are in the foreground. Because the political processes in Azerbaijan are going in the right direction. There is consensus and solidarity in the society on the main issues of our future – be it political, economic development, or issues related to social policy. Therefore, improving the welfare of the Azerbaijani people is the main issue at present. Even before that, it was one of the main priorities. But the main priority was, of course, the question of liberating the territories from occupation and, accordingly, increasing the potential of the Armed Forces. As for Azerbaijan’s defense capability, this issue is still in the spotlight, taking into account the experience of the Second Karabakh war, what we need more, what we need less, what is used more and what is used less. You understand me well as a person well versed in matters of military construction. However, in the first place, of course, there are issues of sustainable development, reducing dependence on the oil and gas sector. I think that this target, this goal, stands in front of all oil-producing countries. It is not so easy to do this in countries where the oil industry plays an important role in the economy. But sustainable development will not be possible without it. Because natural resources are finite resources, we must ensure that the economy is sustainable in any condition and situation. Of course, we create reserves, increase our foreign exchange reserves, and improve the management system. All this gives us additional opportunities.

If you look statistically at the ability of tax and customs authorities to implement forecasts, the picture is quite impressive. It is not the first year that in May and June we accept budget additions in the direction of growth, and the basis for this is that the tax and customs authorities received more revenue than planned. This was possible only and only because of transparency and new management approach. As for the larger context, you know, it’s not all up to us. If we manage to sign a peace agreement on the regulation of relations with Armenia, this will generally improve the situation in the South Caucasus and remove the South Caucasus from the high risk zone. Because the high risk zone is not only the price of experts, it is also the ratings, crediting opportunities. These are directly related to foreign investments, especially now. Investors primarily consider potential and possible risks. The adjustment of relations with Armenia will remove this question from the agenda. The normalization of relations will allow the realization of larger-scale plans for both our economy and the economy of Armenia and in general. There will be no need for so much funding related to the defense capability. Therefore, certain financial resources will be free at our disposal. will allow the implementation of larger-scale plans. There will be no need for so much funding related to the defense capability. Therefore, certain financial resources will be free at our disposal. will allow the implementation of larger-scale plans. There will be no need for so much funding related to the defense capability. Therefore, certain financial resources will be free at our disposal.

In the non-energy field, I see Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Because due to natural and climatic conditions, tourism potential, agricultural and also renewable energy sources resources and potential, these regions will provide a serious increase in our gross domestic product. For example, let me mention that by the end of next year, we will complete the construction of 30 hydroelectric stations with a capacity of 200 megawatts. More than 50 megawatts have already been commissioned. By comparison, I may be going into a bit of detail, but it might be of interest to you. The utilization efficiency of hydropower plants in Karabakh is many times higher than in any other region of Azerbaijan. In other words, the stronger the flow, the sharper the cracks. Each power plant has its own coefficient of efficiency, steam, gas, whether it is a hydroelectric plant. That is, there is an extreme efficiency here. That is, there is a huge potential of wind energy in Kalbajar-Lachin zone. In Jabrayil district, the construction of a 240 megawatt solar plant will begin in a few months. That is, it is quite a large energy potential. In addition, a logistics center. Because no one canceled the Zangezur corridor, this project remains on the agenda and will remain on the agenda until it is implemented. This opens up a huge potential. Now there is such a modern word “connection”, that is, “connectivity” in English. But to fully answer the question, a separate interview is needed. Hopefully, we will do that. Thank you. There is a huge potential of wind energy in Kalbajar-Lachin zone. In Jabrayil district, the construction of a 240 megawatt solar plant will begin in a few months. That is, it is quite a large energy potential. In addition, a logistics center. Because no one canceled the Zangezur corridor, this project remains on the agenda and will remain on the agenda until it is implemented. This opens up a huge potential. Now there is such a modern word “connection”, that is, “connectivity” in English. But to fully answer the question, a separate interview is needed. Hopefully, we will do that. Thank you. There is a huge potential of wind energy in Kalbajar-Lachin zone. In Jabrayil district, the construction of a 240 megawatt solar plant will begin in a few months. That is, it is quite a large energy potential. In addition, a logistics center. Because no one canceled the Zangezur corridor, this project remains on the agenda and will remain on the agenda until it is implemented. This opens up a huge potential. Now there is such a modern word “connection”, that is, “connectivity” in English. But to fully answer the question, a separate interview is needed. Hopefully, we will do that. Thank you. Because no one canceled the Zangezur corridor, this project remains on the agenda and will remain on the agenda until it is implemented. This opens up a huge potential. Now there is such a modern word “connection”, that is, “connectivity” in English. But to fully answer the question, a separate interview is needed. Hopefully, we will do that. Thank you. Because no one canceled the Zangezur corridor, this project remains on the agenda and will remain on the agenda until it is implemented. This opens up a huge potential. Now there is such a modern word “connection”, that is, “connectivity” in English. But to fully answer the question, a separate interview is needed. Hopefully, we will do that. Thank you.

Moderator: Next question, Khalil Mohamed Ibrahim (Chad).

Khalil Muhammad Ibrahim: Dear President, after liberating your lands, many countries have given you moral, logistical and diplomatic support. The positions of many countries were not clear. How will your diplomatic relations be for Azerbaijan in the future? The second question is how will Azerbaijan’s relations with African countries be in this context. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev:Our relations with African countries are developing rapidly. Some time ago, our embassy was opened in the African Union. At the same time, we are in close contact with African countries within the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement. As I have already mentioned, part of our humanitarian aid during the COVID period was also directed to the African continent. I must also state that until today relations in the economic and commercial sphere are not at such a high level, as they are in the political sphere. There are probably natural reasons for this. I think that the opportunities in this direction will be evaluated as the contacts become more intense. Anyway, we are interested in it.

As for the position of the countries during the Second Karabakh war, it has already remained in history. We know who was with us, we know who was with Armenia, who was in a neutral position. I think it is wrong to bring this issue up again now. Our main task was to liberate our lands, and we achieved that. Each country has its own agenda, its own foreign policy, as they say, its own internal reasons. We understand that too. We expected maybe more support from some countries, and from some countries we did not expect anything at all. That is, these are the laws of international relations. I can say that in our experience, such issues do not have a great impact on bilateral relations. I can say that even during the occupation, we saw a neutral position by many countries, although we were not satisfied with it. because we rightly demanded that the position of justice should prevail. At the same time, we saw the position of the countries that were in solidarity with Armenia during the occupation. But I say again, this did not lead to the freezing of our relations with those countries, this is the first. Secondly, I think we achieved it to some extent, we should have tried to play in the opponent’s field and we did that. Our relations with the countries considered to be Armenia’s close allies – during the occupation period, I mean that period – developed successfully. We managed to show those countries that their real political, economic and other interests are in Azerbaijan and not in Armenia. This factor made it possible to adjust the pro-Armenian position of those countries to a certain extent. that’s right During the Second Karabakh War and after the war, the countries that were distinguished by their proximity to Armenia were no longer able to hide their pro-Armenian position, or they did not want to. This has led to a certain degree of tension in our relations with those countries. But that doesn’t mean it will be like this forever. This phase will also end, a new phase will open and the main thing is that you have an agenda.

In the post-war period, we did everything in sequence, one step was a logical continuation of the previous step. We were going towards the goal and we are going, we have reached many goals. There are some goals that we haven’t reached yet, but we will. To reach those goals, of course, political competence is not less important. Therefore, our channels of communication with all countries are open. In parallel with this, we express our displeasure, protest, and countermeasures at the appropriate level when the time comes.

Nurjan Gasimaliyeva from Kyrgyzstan: After the Second Karabakh War, a number of Central Asian countries have expressed their interest to support Azerbaijan in the restoration of territories freed from occupation. What kind of support or help has Azerbaijan already received from Central Asian countries? In general, how would you characterize the relations with Central Asian countries, especially with Kyrgyzstan?

President Ilham Aliyev:We would like to express our gratitude to our friends and brothers from Central Asia for their support. When you came from Fuzuli Airport, you saw the construction project of the buildings. There is also a school there, which is being generously built by Uzbekistan. There is also an art center, donated by Kazakhstan. Both are currently under construction. The school should be ready by the end of August, and the youth arts center by the end of the year. These are two symbols of support, and that’s how much support we received from abroad after the war. I must mention that this was a very important gesture and an example of solidarity. I think it is clear that we can build schools ourselves and we are doing it. But this as for cooperation with Central Asian countries, these relations are dynamic. I made an official visit to many Central Asian countries last year and this year as well. At the same time, the presidents of the Central Asian countries paid an official visit to Azerbaijan. We also expect additional visits from friendly countries by the end of the year. We work very actively on a bilateral basis, especially in the areas of investments and trade. We have created a joint Investment Fund with Uzbekistan, and a similar initiative has already started with Kyrgyzstan. I should note that the amount of assets is not that much. But it will depend on the availability of projects. With Uzbekistan, the fund is equal to half a billion US dollars, and with Kyrgyzstan, twenty-five million. Because there are no projects for implementation yet. Of course, these funds can be expanded, and I think

At the same time, you touched on relations with Kyrgyzstan in your question. These relations are very good, friendly relations. I made an official visit to your country and the President of your country visited Azerbaijan. We also have periodic meetings at the Summit of the Organization of Turkic-Speaking States, as well as at the summits of the CIS countries. We are also working on establishing communication and transport links with Central Asian countries. A week ago, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and before that the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan visited Azerbaijan. The main topic of discussion at the meetings is transport, the access of transport routes to Europe through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by passing through the Caspian Sea. This road will be one of the most important transport routes for Central Asian countries. Because the transport infrastructure of Azerbaijan is modern, and at the same time, the cargo transportation potential is very high. I think our relationship has a great future.

Moderator: The next question is from Muhammed Rizapur of Iran’s IRNA news agency.

Muhammed Rizapour: Mr. President, thank you for the invitation. I greet you on behalf of IRNA news agency, on behalf of Iran. Mr. President, the governments of Iran and Azerbaijan are making great efforts to develop and strengthen relations between the two countries. How does the start of the project, which will be implemented in the near future, affect the strengthening of relations?

President Ilham Aliyev: I am sorry, your question was not clear. Please ask your question again.

Muhammed Rizapour: How will the launch of “IRNA Azeri” affect the strengthening of relations?

President Ilham Aliyev: Maybe you are a little far from us, so we can’t hear your question completely. Please tell the moderator your question and he will pass it on to us.

Moderator: The opening of IRNA’s office in Azerbaijan? In the near future, IRNA agency will open its office in Azerbaijan, and what role can “IRNA Azeri” play between the two countries?

President Ilham Aliyev:I hope that “IRNA Azerbaijan” will really have a positive effect on the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries. Because, as a responsible mass media, it can have a positive effect on the strengthening of relations between neighboring countries. I think the best way is to inform your audience in Iran about the realities in Azerbaijan, the process of reconstruction of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur. Of course, it would be good if more people in Iran were aware of the Second Karabakh War and the post-war situation, in particular, Azerbaijan’s wider regional cooperation agenda. I wish you success in your work. I am sure that you will play a positive role in strengthening the relationship.

Moderator: The next question is from Tarek Cherkauidi, head of the TRT World Research Center.

Tarek Cherkauidi: Your Excellency, After the Victory on the battlefield, you are now winning in the restoration and reconstruction works. My question is about Shusha. How do you want to see Shusha in the next 10 years? Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:Of course, the restoration of Shusha has started, the Master Plan was approved some time ago, and now the first housing project is being implemented. You can see them in several places in the city. Shusha residents will return to their homes within the framework of these projects. In addition, as I already mentioned, Shusha was declared the cultural capital of Azerbaijan by the Presidential Decree, and we expect that we will have many guests from the world, there will be a flow of people. Because this is a rare, unique place. History, culture, architecture and climate are united here. This is our great asset. Of course, this city is built on a rock, it is an ancient city, and it is truly the pearl of the Caucasus and the crown of Karabakh. We are currently actively restoring historical architectural monuments. Our three mosques have been rebuilt. One is restored, others were rebuilt because they were destroyed. The first historical-architectural monument that we restored was the mausoleum of our genius poet and minister of the Karabakh Khanate Vagif. It was also destroyed by Armenians during the occupation. We rebuilt it, restored it. We restored the springs. Five springs are already full of water.

The infrastructure of Shusha is also being developed. Because the Armenians destroyed the distribution network here while fleeing. Therefore, we have built a new distribution system in the city from scratch. In general, the entire infrastructure of the city of Shusha has been rebuilt and new roads have been created within the framework of the Master Plan. In September of this year, we will inaugurate a school with a capacity of 1,000 students, and a hospital with 90 beds will be ready by the end of the year. In Shusha, everything is done according to the Master Plan. This will make the city more beautiful. That is, it will be more beautiful than ever. It will be a very comfortable, modern city. At the same time, of course, its originality will be preserved, because all historical-architectural monuments are currently being restored. People who travel to Shusha often witness changes here. Because this city is becoming more beautiful day by day. Some demolition work is still ahead, because there are buildings built in the Soviet era, and their endurance does not allow us to put them into operation again. However, the Master plan of Shusha is magnificent, I think that in 3-4 years this city will be the most beautiful city not only in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, but in the world.
By the way, this hotel is also new, completely new, and it is a beautiful manifestation of our work. Two hotels – “Karabagh” and “Kharibulbul” have been restored, and this is the newest hotel built from scratch. An interesting fact about this hotel is that here the separatists built the so-called parliament building for themselves. When I came here for the first time after the liberation of Shusha, I saw that the building was not fully completed. They wanted to move their so-called “parliament” here and tried to continue Armenianizing this city – Shusha. Standing in front of that building, I called it the devil’s den. The devil’s nest was demolished and we built this beautiful 5-star hotel. I hope our guests feel comfortable here. This shows how fast Shusha is developing.

Moderator: The next question is from Tarek Cherkauidi, head of the TRT World Research Center.

Tarek Cherkauidi: Your Excellency, After the Victory on the battlefield, you are now winning in the restoration and reconstruction works. My question is about Shusha. How do you want to see Shusha in the next 10 years? Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev:Of course, the restoration of Shusha has started, the Master Plan was approved some time ago, and now the first housing project is being implemented. You can see them in several places in the city. Shusha residents will return to their homes within the framework of these projects. In addition, as I already mentioned, Shusha was declared the cultural capital of Azerbaijan by the Presidential Decree, and we expect that we will have many guests from the world, there will be a flow of people. Because this is a rare, unique place. History, culture, architecture and climate are united here. This is our great asset. Of course, this city is built on a rock, it is an ancient city, and it is truly the pearl of the Caucasus and the crown of Karabakh. We are currently actively restoring historical architectural monuments. Our three mosques have been rebuilt. One is restored, others were rebuilt because they were destroyed. The first historical-architectural monument that we restored was the mausoleum of our genius poet and minister of the Karabakh Khanate Vagif. It was also destroyed by Armenians during the occupation. We rebuilt it, restored it. We restored the springs. Five springs are already full of water.

The infrastructure of Shusha is also being developed. Because the Armenians destroyed the distribution network here while fleeing. Therefore, we have built a new distribution system in the city from scratch. In general, the entire infrastructure of the city of Shusha has been rebuilt and new roads have been created within the framework of the Master Plan. In September of this year, we will inaugurate a school with a capacity of 1,000 students, and a hospital with 90 beds will be ready by the end of the year. In Shusha, everything is done according to the Master Plan. This will make the city more beautiful. That is, it will be more beautiful than ever. It will be a very comfortable, modern city. At the same time, of course, its originality will be preserved, because all historical-architectural monuments are currently being restored. People who travel to Shusha often witness changes here. Because this city is becoming more beautiful day by day. Some demolition work is still ahead, because there are buildings built in the Soviet era, and their endurance does not allow us to put them into operation again. However, the Master plan of Shusha is magnificent, I think that in 3-4 years this city will be the most beautiful city not only in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, but in the world.

By the way, this hotel is also new, completely new, and it is a beautiful manifestation of our work. Two hotels – “Karabagh” and “Kharibulbul” have been restored, and this is the newest hotel built from scratch. An interesting fact about this hotel is that here the separatists built the so-called parliament building for themselves. When I came here for the first time after the liberation of Shusha, I saw that the building was not fully completed. They wanted to move their so-called “parliament” here and tried to continue Armenianizing this city – Shusha. Standing in front of that building, I called it the devil’s den. The devil’s nest was demolished and we built this beautiful 5-star hotel. I hope our guests feel comfortable here. This shows how fast Shusha is developing.

Moderator: Mr. President, we have been with you for more than two hours. Obviously, everyone wants to be a part of this process. But we don’t want to overuse your hospitality. Can we give Mr. Markov a chance as well? Because he tried to ask questions from the beginning, but he did not succeed.

Russian political scientistSergey Markov: Thank you, Mr. President. With your permission, let me ask my question in English. We remember that our first small international conference was held here. There was an explosion along the road when I came here. I hope that there will be no more explosions and Armenians will come to terms with these realities. I ask a question not only to a politician, but also to a person who won: You are a very experienced person. You mentioned three intermediaries today and there is some competition between them. Every mediator strives to be successful. At the same time, they worked together within the framework of the Minsk group, but it did not bring any results. They failed. Because as a result of their inaction, the Second Karabakh War took place. That is, for 28 years, they conducted meaningless negotiations, which resulted in the Second Karabakh War. That is, today we are witnessing that the number of mediators is increasing. But it seems to me that the meaning is a little lost here. So, in your opinion, which of the mediators will be more successful? That is, what do mediators need to do to be successful, and more broadly, how do you think international organizations need to evolve to avoid crisis? That is, the UN is in crisis today, and the Minsk Group of the OSCE has shown the inactivity of the OSCE. That is, based on your extensive experience in the field of international relations, what can you say about how these international organizations can be more successful and efficient? What do mediators need to do to be successful and, more broadly, how do you think international organizations need to evolve to avoid crisis? That is, the UN is in crisis today, and the Minsk Group of the OSCE has shown the inactivity of the OSCE. That is, based on your extensive experience in the field of international relations, what can you say about how these international organizations can be more successful and efficient? What do mediators need to do to be successful and, more broadly, how do you think international organizations need to evolve to avoid crisis? That is, the UN is in crisis today, and the Minsk Group of the OSCE has shown the inactivity of the OSCE. That is, based on your extensive experience in the field of international relations, what can you say about how these international organizations can be more successful and efficient?

President Ilham Aliyev:Thank you very much for your question. I want to make a little clarification. Here we have two processes related to mediators. One is with Azerbaijan and Armenia, Russia and the USA are directly there as mediators. At the same time, we have the Brussels format. This is not an official negotiation format, as negotiations are conducted at the level of foreign ministers, their delegations and experts. The Brussels format is a small additional supporting mechanism for the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to establish contact. I think it has been somewhat successful so far. There is some difference between these formats. The difference between this format and the Minsk group is that one of the members of the Minsk group was France, today France is no longer in the process. However, although the European Union is not an official mediator, I see it as reducing certain pressures, I would call it a factor that allows the two leaders to negotiate with each other and understand their positions better. As for the Minsk group, I want to say that it was not me who caused its inactivity, but they themselves. That is, after the Second Karabakh war, they also started to ask themselves what steps they should take next. When he contacted us, I noted that the conflict was already over. Many provisions of the document called “Madrid Principles” have already been resolved. Therefore, I considered that if they will continue to operate, they can implement trust, constructive measures and achieve the full implementation of the provisions of the Declaration of November 10, 2020. As you know, two clauses are still not resolved. The first of these is the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Karabakh, and the second is the lack of access to Nakhchivan. Armenia has not yet fulfilled these two provisions. As a result of some kind of geopolitical conflict, the Minsk group has already ended its activities. Reviving the Minsk Group today is unacceptable and we will not accept it. There are certain ideas, talks today to bring this broken vase back together. But this is practically impossible. At the same time, Azerbaijan will not agree to this. Because we don’t have very good memories of their activities. In terms of competition, yes, we see this competition among intermediaries. And this is a part of global competition, even it would be difficult to find where that competition does not exist, that is, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan are no exception. as a result of some kind of geopolitical conflict, the Minsk group has already ceased its activities. Reviving the Minsk Group today is unacceptable and we will not accept it. There are certain ideas, talks today to bring this broken vase back together. But this is practically impossible. At the same time, Azerbaijan will not agree to this. Because we don’t have very good memories of their activities. In terms of competition, yes, we see this competition among intermediaries. And this is a part of global competition, even it would be difficult to find where that competition does not exist, that is, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan are no exception. as a result of some kind of geopolitical conflict, the Minsk group has already ceased its activities. Reviving the Minsk Group today is unacceptable and we will not accept it. There are certain ideas, talks today to bring this broken vase back together. But this is practically impossible. At the same time, Azerbaijan will not agree to this. Because we don’t have very good memories of their activities. In terms of competition, yes, we see this competition among intermediaries. And this is a part of global competition, even it would be difficult to find where that competition does not exist, that is, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan are no exception. There are certain ideas, talks today to bring this broken vase back together. But this is practically impossible. At the same time, Azerbaijan will not agree to this. Because we don’t have very good memories of their activities. In terms of competition, yes, we see this competition among intermediaries. And this is a part of global competition, even it would be difficult to find where that competition does not exist, that is, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan are no exception. There are certain ideas, talks today to bring this broken vase back together. But this is practically impossible. At the same time, Azerbaijan will not agree to this. Because we don’t have very good memories of their activities. In terms of competition, yes, we see this competition among intermediaries. And this is a part of global competition, even it would be difficult to find where that competition does not exist, that is, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan are no exception.

After the end of the second Karabakh war, of course, Russia took the initiative. Because, as I already mentioned, Russia mediated the preparation of the November 10 Declaration. Russian peacekeepers are currently temporarily stationed in the region. Russia is a neighbor of Azerbaijan, but although it is not a neighbor of Armenia, it is a very close country. So it was natural. Later, of course, we saw that Russia got a little involved in other matters, and the opponents took advantage, so to speak. It is difficult to say what effect this competition will have on the South Caucasus. As the President, it has always been important for me, even during the occupation, that Azerbaijan should not become a competitive arena. This is the worst case scenario for us and for any country. Today we see that this is exactly what is happening in Armenia. Armenia is becoming a country where there is serious competition and this can cause serious problems. Not only Russia and America, but also other countries are actively involved in this process. I believe that the Armenian government does not have a clear foreign policy strategy at the moment. They had certain strategies until the second Karabakh war. Today, it does not exist, and this will create serious consequences for them.

As for Azerbaijan, our country is not a place of competition, but a place of cooperation. As you know, high-level representatives of the Russian and American armed forces, very high, i.e. commanders of army headquarters, NATO commanders have always chosen Baku for meetings. This is an indicator of trust and confidence in us. Such meetings were held four or five times. This shows that Azerbaijan is a country that unites interests, even among countries that are always in competition. That is, it was at that time when this competition was conducted peacefully. In the current conditions, such contacts can potentially be restored in Azerbaijan.

It is difficult to say what the final result will be. The main thing is that both mediators, be it Moscow or Washington, create conditions for negotiations. This is not a tripartite negotiation, it is a bilateral negotiation. He recently visited Washington and will be in Moscow in a few days. Well, it depends on who is inviting. A few days ago, when the Russian Foreign Minister made such an invitation, I ordered that it be agreed to and the date was set. Then the Armenians asked to change the date. We also agreed to it. Americans invite ministers more often, but it should be clear that this is a two-way conversation format. The approach to the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan is that it should be bilateral. This is our approach. Where these meetings are held, of course, is important. It has its role and we are open to any mediation efforts to bring our positions closer together.

Currently, one of the main issues on the negotiation table is Armenia’s official withdrawal of its territorial claims against Azerbaijan. They did it verbally, that’s their position. We accepted it. Their prime minister said, “Karabakh is Azerbaijan.” I wish he had said that in 2019. But he said something completely different in Khankendi. However, he must sign the document today. There is a clause in the draft of our peace agreement that Armenia has no territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Because currently their positions are uncertain. On the one hand, they say that they recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but on the other hand, they say that the Armenian community in Karabakh should be included in the peace talks in any way. This issue is impossible. There are some suggestions about the text. They are related to the rights and security of national minorities and this applies to both countries. If Armenia talks about the rights of the Armenian population living in Karabakh, we should talk about the rights of Azerbaijanis in Zangezur and Goycha, Yerevan, and it should be mutual. I hope we will reach the final stage. It is difficult to predict. I can make predictions about matters that depend on us. However, we are optimistic about the negotiations. But we should not be so optimistic, we should be realistic. I can make predictions about matters that depend on us. However, we are optimistic about the negotiations. But we should not be so optimistic, we should be realistic. I can make predictions about matters that depend on us. However, we are optimistic about the negotiations. But we should not be so optimistic, we should be realistic.

Moderator: Mr. President, this will be our last question, Shafaq Mehraliyeva from ADA University.

Shafaq Mehraliyeva: With your permission, I would also ask my question in English. Mr. President, I teach communication at ADA University. Today, we will talk with our colleagues about modern media trends and the question that arises in this area is the relationship between social media and professional media. There is some competition here. You are very active in social networks, your activity is highlighted. You are followed by representatives of different generations. My son is also a fan of yours and the first lady should know that we are watching him very closely. His messages and videos are very warm and sincere, and he is a mediator of direct contact with you, without any barriers or filters. In terms of using social networks, how do you see the role of social media and do you use it?

President Ilham Aliyev:I can tell you that I learn many important issues related to the life of our country from social media. In my contacts with the media, I always said that you help me in my daily work. Because each president has a similar activity. Especially in a country like Azerbaijan, a person must work 24 hours a day and be ready for any news, good or bad. At the same time, the scale of the activity is so great that sometimes you can see and not feel the pulse of the society to a certain extent. Because it is necessary to always feel the pulse of the society. I travel the country, meet people and of course use social media. Many events that happened in Azerbaijan and some events that were not reported to me, whether there were bureaucratic obstacles or certain matters that were deliberately not reported to me or I was busy with other matters, even my grandchildren give me certain information. My kids tell me what they see on social media and I follow social media myself. He helps me a lot. There are some issues that annoy me to some extent. Injustice, bureaucracy, bad management or other negative situations in our country, of course, irritates me like every citizen. Therefore, my communication channels are different and diverse. Considering the post-war period and the current situation, security issues, the peace process, energy diplomacy, global security and the development of Azerbaijan constitute the main part of my daily activities. Therefore, in such a situation, certain issues may escape my attention. Both social media and traditional media help me stay on top of issues and react immediately. I can tell you that in many cases there is a reaction of certain government officials, even cutting down a tree – I learned about it from the media – it creates discipline among the officials. Because I travel the country, I travel the country, and I do it by car. This is because I see more when I travel by car than when I travel by helicopter or plane. The officials on the ground know that the next time I come, I will check it, I will monitor it. Therefore, I will certainly use the media in my future activities. I’m certainly not as active as I’d like because I’m busy.

Last year, when the first Forum of media representatives of Azerbaijan was held here in Shusha, I did not participate in this event. I instructed the Presidential Administration that next time this event should be organized at the international Forum level. It’s already happening and I decided to get involved here. I was introduced as a speaker at this event. But I thought that there is no need to make a long speech here. I thought this question would be more interesting.

Thank you for your patience. We have been together for almost three hours. I am sure that you will return to your countries with very good results thanks to these discussions. There will be certain interesting ideas and directions for our government. My last suggestion is that this forum should be held regularly and it should be called the first Shusha Global Media Forum.

Moderator: So our official part ends. Mr. President, we thank you once again. See you next year.