BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. The
Azerbaijani Military launched a counter-offensive operation, later
referred to as the “Iron Fist”, on September 27, 2020, in response to the
large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces alongside the
frontline.
The 44-day second Karabakh battle ended with the liberation of
Azerbaijan’s territories from almost 30-year Armenian occupation
and the restoration of territorial integrity.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has given
an interview to the French Le Figaro newspaper.
Development presents
the interview.
-My first query can be Mr. President, why did you
launch an offensive on September 27 in opposition to Nagorno-Karabakh? What
are the political goals of this army assault?
-We didn’t launch army assault on Nagorno-Karabakh on
September twenty seventh. It was Armenia who launched a army assault on
Azerbaijan, and within the first hours of this army assault we had
victims, amongst civilians and amongst our army servicemen. This
was the third army provocation by Armenia in opposition to Azerbaijan,
inside 3 months. First, they attacked us on the state border
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, distant from the Karabakh area.
And by unanimous opinion of worldwide observers it was Armenia
who launched an assault on us. They needed to occupy new
territories. they needed to take management over the strategic power
infrastructure which located a number of kilometres from our state
border with Armenia. As you most likely know, Trans Adriatic Pipeline
is sort of accomplished. And the Southern Gasoline Hall venture shouldn’t be
solely a venture of power safety of Azerbaijan but additionally of Europe.
We expect that one of many objectives of Armenia was to take management of
that pipelines and to blackmail us, and perhaps European shoppers.
They received a critical response. We pushed them again. However
sadly, subsequent month, in August, they ship the sabotage group,
which deliberate to commit acts of terror in opposition to Azerbaijanis. The
head of the sabotage group was detected by our army folks,
army servicemen, and he provides proof. So, it’s a deliberate
try and disrupt negotiations and to assault Azerbaijan. So far as
political objectives of Armenia, which they pursued launching the
assault, was to maintain the established order unchanged, to place the blame for
this escalation on us, to disrupt negotiations fully, and to
contain third international locations and to internationalize the battle. We
solely gave them satisfactory response, on account of that we liberated
and proceed to liberate a part of the internationally acknowledged
territory of Azerbaijan.
-Azerbaijan has the mission to be a hub not solely on
power pipelines but additionally on web, fiberglass cables. And there
is Azerbaijani firm referred to as Neqsol who wish to be the connection
between Europe and Central Asia, for web. Do you assume that
this venture remains to be attainable or to not have straight by means of
Azerbaijan in Web from Europe, to Central Asia?
-We as you appropriately talked about turned already the regional hub
for not just for power, but additionally for transportation. We at the moment are
offering vital transportation community for our companions throughout
the Caspian within the japanese a part of the Caspian Sea and Europe. Our
investments in infrastructure resulted in creation of a really broad
worldwide cooperation format on transportation. In fact,
every little thing began with the power infrastructure, oil and gasoline
pipelines going by means of Azerbaijan already turned essential
supply of power safety. And with respect to the oil pipelines we
already transit oil from Central Asia, by means of Azerbaijan to
Europe. With respect to the web connection, we make investments largely
into IT sector, web penetration in Azerbaijan is about 80
%. 80 % of our inhabitants are web customers. And we
have very developed non-public corporations on this space. Due to this fact, the
firm which you talked about so far as I do know is a personal firm,
which has its personal agenda, and which invested within the area. And I
assume their goal is to implement commercially viable venture. And
positively, Azerbaijan from geographical standpoint and level of
view of infrastructure at this time is essential regional actor.
-My query now could be are you able to describe us what’s after
multiple month of battle? the place is the entrance? How are the present
army operations?
-It’s lower than one month, and through this one month as a
results of a really profitable counter-attack, Azerbaijan managed to
liberate a part of the occupied territories, cities and villages and
day-after-day we report about new cities and villages which have been
operated. It was not straightforward, as a result of in the course of the 30 years of
occupation Armenia constructed on the occupied territories very strong
engineering constructions. So, it was not straightforward to cross the road of
contact. However we did it in several instructions, within the north, in
the south. And this demonstrates the excessive degree of capability,
functionality of Azerbaijani Military, and we defeat Armenia on the
battlefield. They usually need to run away from us. So, we already
restored the worldwide border with Iran. Greater than 130 km of
this border was beneath occupation. So, we did rather a lot on the
battlefield and this continues. Armenia two occasions violated the
ceasefire. In the event that they didn’t violate the ceasefire, first on the tenth
of October brutally violated it launching a ballistic missile on
the sleeping metropolis of Ganja and second time on the seventeenth of October,
at this time the clashes would have stopped and political answer would
have prevailed. That’s our place. In the event that they don’t cease, we’ll
proceed to liberate our lands.
-They bombed Ganja as a result of there was a few Turkish
F-16 fighters and one in all these Turkish f-16 fighters shut down
Armenian airplane. That’s why they mentioned they bombed
Ganja.
-That is pretend information. I believe that everyone now understands that
was pretend information by Armenia. Turkish F-16 are right here as a result of they have been
taking part within the joint army coaching simply earlier than the
clashes began. And they’re on the bottom. They don’t seem to be within the
air. Armenian SU-25 hit the mountain. They tried to fake as if
it was hit by the Turkish F-16. However that was within the first days of
the battle. It was in September. However they launched an assault on
Ganja with ballistic missile on the tenth of October, first. Second,
ballistic missile’s launch was made out of the territory of Armenia.
And you understand, huge international locations can monitor it clearly. They know from
the place it’s launched and what’s a process for the missile? The duty
was to hit civilians. They hit the realm of Ganja the place folks stay.
So, that was an act of worldwide terror, that was one other
reflection of the battle crime coverage of Armenia. These assaults on
Ganja, can’t be justified. And they are going to be accountable for
that.
-By accepting the intervention of Turkey and the arrival
of Syrian fighters from Turkey, aren’t you afraid of turning native
battle right into a regional battle?
-To begin with, Turkey shouldn’t be concerned within the battle in any respect.
There’s not a single proof of Turkish involvement. From the
first hours of Armenian assault on Azerbaijan Turkey, Turkish
president and different high-ranking officers expressed and proceed
to precise robust political help to Azerbaijan, help to the
norms and ideas of worldwide regulation, help to the
implementation of the United Nations Safety Council resolutions
which demand quick and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian
troops from our territories. So, that is first. Second, there are
no overseas fighters on Azerbaijani soil. That is one other pretend information.
It was unfold by some officers, in some international locations. However to date,
greater than 20 days after the clashes began we didn’t get any
single proof neither from France nor from Russia. As a result of the
French after which Russian officers made this assertion and we requested
for proof. We requested for proofs. Solely phrases, no proof, no
proofs. And one other factor is that we don’t want any foreigners to
combat with us. As a result of we have now an everyday military of 100 thousand
folks. We’ve fashionable tools. We’ve motivated individuals who have been
affected by occupation for 30 years. We didn’t even announce
full mobilization. If we want extra folks on the bottom we
will recruit extra. Due to this fact, that is one other try and current
Azerbaijan as an aggressor, and likewise try by Armenia to decrease
the capability of Azerbaijani military which is thrashing them on the
floor.
-Mr President, you mentioned you’ve got very fashionable tools,
it’s true. You could have every kind of drones some coming from Turkey
but additionally environment friendly kamikaze drones coming from Israel Harop. So, is
the assistance of Israeli army tools essential for you, and
will let you make army breakthrough?
-We purchase army tools from many international locations. And our greatest
provider of army tools shouldn’t be Turkey and Israel, it’s
Russia. However not like Armenia, from Russia we purchase weapons, we pay for
them. Armenia will get weapons from Russia freed from cost. We additionally purchase
weapons from Iran, from Ukraine, from Belarus, and naturally, we
can afford to purchase fashionable weapons which at this time assist our military to
restore our territorial integrity. Our territorial integrity is
being restored by us. However any nation in our area is shopping for
weapons. Not many international locations on the earth can provide themselves 100%
with army tools. So, there may be nothing unusual about that.
And naturally, we pay for the weapons. We purchase good ones and of
course they assist us on the bottom. However liberation of territories is
not by drones. Liberation of territories is by troopers. By folks
who there on the bottom are doing their job.
-Iran has complained that preventing throughout a army
operation took on the border. Did you compromise this dispute with
Iran? Did you discuss to the Iranian leaders?
-Sure, we did. And so far as I do know, Iranian leaders additionally discuss to
Armenian facet. As a result of the clashes have been going down simply by the
river Araz, near the border with Iran, and accidentally, a few of
the weapons crossed the border. However at this time we introduced that we
cleaned fully the Azerbaijani-Iranian border from Armenian
occupants. Due to this fact, no extra clashes happen there, and there
might be no extra inconvenience for our brothers throughout the river of
Araz in Iran.
-What’s the absolute best mediator to convey out to this
battle? Is it Russia? Is it the very best mediator?
-We’ve three mediators. They’ve a mandate from OSCE-Russia,
France and United States. For 28 years they’re attempting to mediate.
And attempting to assist events to seek out the answer with none
success. These three international locations are on the identical time members of the
UN Safety Council, everlasting members. These three international locations
adopted these resolutions which I referred to, which demand
withdrawal of Armenian troops. However sadly, they didn’t put
sufficient worldwide stress on Armenia to liberate the occupied
territories and to adjust to the United Nations Safety Council
resolutions. Due to this fact, after the Armenian army assault, we had
to defend ourselves, and needed to restore justice by pressure, what we
are efficiently doing. And amongst these three mediators, every of
them is vital and I observe, and I see and I do know that on the
concern of Nagorno-Karabakh they’ve very uncommon unanimous method.
It’s most likely the one concern the place their pursuits coincide.
-What sort of land you wish to take again after which be
able to cease this battle Mr. President?
-We’re able to cease at this time. I used to be telling that for the reason that tenth
of October, when in Moscow each side agreed on ceasefire. And I
mentioned: “the earlier the army a part of the answer of the issue
is over the higher.” We wish to transfer on negotiation desk. However
sadly, Armenia brutally violated ceasefire and launched an
assault on Ganja. And on the seventeenth of October they violated ceasefire
two minutes after ceasefire was environment friendly. Due to this fact, in the event that they cease
at this time we’ll cease after which, the remaining might be executed by diplomats. If
they don’t cease, we’ll go till the top to liberate all of the
occupied territories.
-So that is your plan. That is Azerbaijan’s plan to get
out of the battle.
-Sure. In the event that they cease now and behave in a constructive means, in the event that they
publicly decide to the essential ideas elaborated by France,
Russia and the USA which Azerbaijan is dedicated to,
then, after all every little thing will cease and we’ll return on
negotiation desk. By the way in which, I’m on this course of for 17 years. I
labored with two former Armenian presidents and we made not a giant
progress, however we made progress. We have been assembly repeatedly. There
have been common conferences in Moscow, in Paris, in Washington. However
after Mr. Pashinyan got here to energy, he truly did every little thing in
order to destroy negotiation course of not solely by his statements,
however by his army provocations. And since he got here to energy for
already two years or extra, there isn’t any course of. Due to this fact, I believe
the political settlement is feasible. However Armenian authorities
ought to perceive that they don’t seem to be now ready to dictate,
as a result of established order no extra exists, line of contact no extra exists.
We created a brand new actuality on the bottom. They usually need to take that
under consideration.
-What’s your imaginative and prescient about the way forward for
Karabakh?
-I expressed it many occasions publicly. And I can let you know now.
Additionally, I delivered sure messages by means of mediators, by means of Minsk
Group co-chairs to earlier Armenian authorities how we see the
future. We see Karabakh as a affluent, secure, safe space of
Azerbaijan the place folks stay in peace and dignity, the place
Azerbaijani and Armenian communities stay facet by facet. The world
which we plan to develop as we did in all different elements of
Azerbaijan. I can let you know that we have now very substantial financial
achievements. We’ve very low degree of poverty, it’s about 5
%. In Armenia it’s near 50 %. Additionally very low degree
of unemployment. Earlier than the pandemic it was round 5 %, now
it’s seven. However compared with Nagorno-Karabakh which is
endemic, it’s day and night time. So, we will present significantly better life,
for Armenians who stay there, for Azerbaijanis who will return
there. And I’m positive that the 2 nations, two peoples will
reconcile, as a result of within the twenty first century it isn’t attainable to
isolate your self to commit ethnic cleaning and attempt to rework de
facto scenario into secession. It’s not attainable. Nobody
acknowledged Nagorno-Karabakh to date, together with Armenia itself. I’m
positive nobody will acknowledge it. Due to this fact, one of the best ways for the
way forward for Karabakh, not solely Nagorno-Karabakh, however all of the Karabakh
is a giant area of Azerbaijan, is to stay in peace in concord, and
to attempt to change into good neighbors again-Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
That is my plan.
– I keep in mind that to start with of Nineteen Nineties there was an
anti-Armenian pogrom in Baku. That’s why Armenians don’t belief
they’ll stay, they’re afraid for his or her lives to stay in
Azerbaijani territory.
-Battle began after separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh,
sponsored by nationalists in Armenia launched a secession plan to
secede from Azerbaijan. They usually couldn’t do it from authorized level
of view on the time of the Soviet Union. So, they began pogroms
within the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and within the territory of
Armenia. The primary victims of the battle and clashes have been Azerbaijanis
from Nagorno-Karabakh. There have been 40 thousand Azerbaijanis who
lived in Nagorno-Karabakh, primarily in Shusha and likewise within the
capital Khankandi who have been ethnically cleansed fully. Then,
250 thousand Azerbaijanis who lived in Armenia, a lot of them have been
killed and all of them have been ethnically cleansed, expelled. What
occurred in Baku, in these time which you talked about is a darkish web page
of our historical past. However, these clashes have been going down everywhere-in
Erevan, in different Armenian cities, in Nagorno-Karabakh. Due to this fact,
this shouldn’t be a form of a purpose why folks can’t reconcile.
In Europe what number of occasions France and Germany had wars? What number of
occasions you understand different international locations had wars? We had World Conflict II which
costed lives of 30 or 40 million folks. However after twenty years,
western Germany and Soviet Union turned on good phrases. And now
no one remembers that. That is the way it ought to occur within the
civilized world. The issue is in Armenia, they domesticate hatred.
They domesticate historic hatred in opposition to Turkey, in opposition to
Azerbaijan. Former president of Armenia Kocharyan publicly mentioned
that Azerbaijanis and Armenians can’t stay collectively. However look. How
they stay collectively as an example, in Georgia? In some Georgian
villages Azerbaijanis and Armenians stay facet by facet. In Russia it
is identical. In Azerbaijan we have now 1000’s of Armenians who stay
in our nation. Why it isn’t attainable in Nagorno-Karabakh. I believe
that the injuries of the battle have to be healed by political knowledge, by
political will. And after this energetic, scorching section of the battle
stops, each side want to speculate largely so as to do every little thing
to heal these wounds.
-That is my final query. Aren’t you afraid Mr.
President that after some time President Erdogan of Turkey will cease
his help and his coverage in Caucasus to give attention to Northern
Cyprus?
-Turkey and Azerbaijan are brotherly international locations. And our
brotherhood have been examined in lots of circumstances. And on this
explicit case, Turkish President expressed publicly robust
help to Azerbaijan. He mentioned that Azerbaijan shouldn’t be alone. Turkey
is facet by facet. So, it is a very robust political help and we
are very grateful for that. That is very first thing. Second, what I
wish to say that what we’re doing on the battlefield we do
ourselves. Sure, with fashionable weapons, with fashionable tools nevertheless it
is Azerbaijani troopers and officers who liberate our motherland.
Our relationships with Turkey have an amazing historical past however even brighter
future. Turkey as a rustic which is the one nation on the earth
having a border with all of the three republics or international locations of
Southern Caucasus- Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, has, I believe,
a reputable proper to be concerned on this course of. As a result of as a
neighbor, as a rustic which may present and gives stability,
predictability for the area and as a rustic whose agenda could be very
clear they defend worldwide regulation. Worldwide regulation says that
our territories are beneath occupation. So, what improper do they do?
They simply demand worldwide regulation to be implied. Armenia doesn’t
wish to do it. They wish to maintain our lands for greater than thirty
years beneath occupation by unlawful settlement of Armenians from
Lebanon, by army operations in opposition to Azerbaijanis, by destroying
our historic and non secular heritage. Turkey’s position could be very
constructive. And after the battle with Armenia stops, and political
settlement is enforced, I’m positive the position of Turkey might be very
vital and really constructive.
-So, you don’t assume that Turkey has a plan to erase
Armenia so as to have a direct connection to the Turkish folks
of Central Asia.
-No, that is once more, Armenian phobias, and Armenian provocations.
Within the peaceable plan which I used to be discussing with leaders of Armenia
earlier than Pashinyan got here to energy, there was a transparent reference to
communications. After the peace settlement is signed, all
communications are opening, together with communication between
Nakhchivan Autonomus Republic of Azerbaijan and the mainland of
Azerbaijan. And thus, Turkey and Azerbaijan and Central Asia will
have a land connection. Right this moment we don’t have it. However Turkey nonetheless
has connections by means of Azerbaijan. We constructed couple of years in the past
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad. So, Turkish items by means of Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Caspian go to central Asia and backwards. However the highway
from Turkey, Nakhchivan, Armenia and Azerbaijan is shorter. So, it
shouldn’t be the truth that Turkey doesn’t have this connection. And as
you say, someone thinks that they may erase Armenia to have it.
They’ve it. We’ve it. We could have one other one. However it’s once more
a part of the peace plan. All communications might be open. And I
assume that Armenian authorities shouldn’t attempt to frighten its
inhabitants with Turkey. And may cease this hatred in direction of the
Turkish and Azerbaijani folks.
-How is your relationship presently with Georgia, who’s
one other Christian nation within the Caucasus area?
-Sure, with Georgia our relationships are wonderful. We name every
different strategic companions. Azerbaijan is the primary or second largest
investor in Georgia, and the primary or second largest taxpayer. I’m
saying first or second as a result of one yr it’s Turkey, one other yr
it’s Azerbaijan. And we have now a trilateral format of cooperation
between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. We had presidential
summits, ministerial conferences, together with protection ministers, overseas
ministers, economic system ministers. We’ve all our main transportation
and power communication going by means of Georgia. We’ve a giant
Azerbaijani neighborhood in Georgia near 300 thousand folks.
Due to this fact, relations are wonderful. And I believe it could possibly be
instance, like our relationships with Turkey, our relationships with Georgia
are good examples of fine neighborhood. By the way in which, the truth that
Georgia is Christian and Azerbaijan is Muslim doesn’t make any
distinction. We don’t take a look at this area from this level of
view.
-You don’t take faith under consideration while you do
tasks.
-No, faith is separated from the state. In keeping with our
structure, Azerbaijan is a secular nation. We respect our
faith, we respect religions of all different nationalities who stay
in Azerbaijan. And I believe the most effective indicator of non secular concord
in Azerbaijan can be the phrases of His Holiness, head of the Roman
Catholic Church Pope Francis. When he was in Baku a number of years
in the past, he made a public assertion extremely praising Azerbaijan’s position
in intercultural and interreligious dialogue. All of the
representatives of various religions in Azerbaijan stay in peace
and concord, together with Armenians. Within the heart of Baku, there may be
an Armenian church which has been restored by us and guarded by
our authorities. However our mosques on the occupied territories have
been destroyed. And Armenians maintain pigs in our mosques. Simply current
movies have been on web. In Zangilan area, after liberation of
one village, it was on web how pigs stroll in our mosque. So,
Azerbaijan is a tolerant and a secular nation and can proceed to
be like that sooner or later.
-Thanks. It was an excellent interview Mr.
President.
-Thanks.
