During a discussion with local TV channels this week, President Ilham Aliyev provided an update on relations with neighboring Armenia, addressing topics such as border delimitation, the threats posed by Armenia's militarization, and the peace agenda.
Here are the key takeaways from President Aliyev's comprehensive speech:
Azerbaijan-Armenia border needs to be clarified
- Armenia's policy of occupation made any genuine dialogue impossible, as they used the format of negotiations as a cover-up for continuing their occupation. The information that recently appeared in the media, particularly the fascist statements of Armenia's first president, once again confirms what we have known for a long time. Armenia had no intention of relinquishing even a single centimeter of Azerbaijani territory.
- All three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, during the period for which I am responsible, were unequivocally aligned with the occupier. Therefore, it was clear that we could not expect to regain these territories through dialogue, nor could we anticipate restoring our territorial integrity through such means.
- I believe there were several factors that led to Armenia voluntarily, or, let’s say, voluntarily under coercion, returning these villages. The first was the Patriotic War and its decisive results. The second was the anti-terror operation, which I think shattered any illusions the Armenian leadership may have harbored about external powers confronting Azerbaijan on their behalf.
- The demarcation process also took place. This, of course, should help propel the clarification of the entire border. The protocol agreed upon by the Armenian and Azerbaijani commissions on delimitation and demarcation outlines that several factors must be considered when clarifying the border: security, communications, and settlements, historical and environmental factors, among others.
- The existing conditional border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not set in stone, and our position has always been that it should be clarified, taking into account these and many other factors. As far as I know, this month, we have presented this initiative, and the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian delimitation commissions is expected to take place to continue the delimitation process.
Armenia’s militarization is a new threat
- The ongoing armament of Armenia is, of course, a new threat factor for the South Caucasus. I have mentioned this before, and I want to reiterate that we cannot simply stand by as passive observers and do nothing. I have also repeatedly conveyed to the Armenian leadership that this could create a new threat.
- At the same time, those who seem to be backing Armenia today and inciting them to new provocations and sabotage against Azerbaijan will most likely not support them in the long run, just as they did not in 2020 and beyond. Not because they do not want to, but because Azerbaijan simply will not provide these opportunities.
- Therefore, a significant portion of Azerbaijan's state budget will be allocated to military and security matters. We are dedicating 4 billion manats (USD 2.4 billion) to the restoration of Karabakh and East Zangezur, and 8.4 billion manats (USD 4.9 billion) to addressing military and security concerns. This situation could have been very different, as Armenia’s arms race forces us to divert financial resources to military issues, in addition to the primary ones. I have also stated that Armenia cannot compete with us in the arms race.
- Another disturbing fact is that in April of last year, for the first time in history, a very odd cooperation platform was created - America, the European Union and Armenia. As you know, the US Secretary of State, the President of the European Commission, the Foreign Minister, and the Prime Minister of Armenia met in Brussels and effectively reached an agreement on a new cooperation framework.
- According to the information we have, the agreement reached prior to this meeting included a military component, but after the meeting, it was officially removed. However, de facto, it remains in place. This, in effect, excluded both the European Commission and the United States from the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, and we have already informed them of this. If any party takes sides, it cannot be a fair mediator. This is why the request from the US Secretary of State last month was left unanswered, and Azerbaijan did not agree to a trilateral meeting.
- France and other countries that supply weapons to Armenia must terminate and cancel these contracts. The weapons that have already been delivered to Armenia must be returned. This is our condition. Let them interpret it as they wish. I give my word, they know this, and those who stand behind them know that if we say something, we are already treating this issue with the utmost seriousness.
Fascism must be eradicated
- We want peace. We want to close the chapter on war. However, we see that both Armenia itself and its new patrons do not share this goal. They are driven by ideas of revenge, and Armenia has become a source of threat to the region.
- The independent Armenian state is, in fact, a fascist state. For nearly 30 years, the country has been led by proponents of fascist ideology. Consider the racist and fascist statements made by Armenia's first president - they are as ugly as they are dangerous. He portrays ethnic cleansing as something to be proud of, boasting about the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from their historical ancestral lands. This video, has most recently emerged.
- The 30-year occupation policy against us is not merely the result of Armenia's actions, but a joint effort of Islamophobic, Azerbaijanophobic, racist, and xenophobic circles, as well as representatives of foreign countries in solidarity with them.
- Therefore, fascism must be eradicated. Either the Armenian leadership will destroy it, or we will. We have no other choice.
Durable peace is a must
- Arming Armenia will only lead to new tensions, and we do not want that. We want peace. We want to close the chapter on war.
- I hope that all of our conditions for the peace treaty will be accepted, because there is nothing extraordinary about these conditions. The dissolution of the Minsk Group and the amendment of the constitution — without these, a peace treaty is impossible. If Armenia does not need a peace treaty, then we do not need it either. We can live and conduct our own policy without signing one.
- As Azerbaijan, we are not a source of danger for them. We seek peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Zangezur corridor must be opened
- The Zangezur corridor must and will be opened. The sooner they [Armenia] understand this, the better. Why should we have to go to Nakhchivan, an integral part of Azerbaijan, through indirect routes? We should have a direct connection, and this connection does not challenge Armenia's sovereignty.
- They must fulfill the provisions of the 10 November Statement. Everything is clearly outlined there. We have been showing patience for over four years. For more than four years, we have wanted this to be resolved through negotiations.
- How long will we have to wait and why should we wait? In other words, they should consider all of this. I have said before that they should not frustrate us and understand that we are the ones who have the final say here. Azerbaijan is the leading economy, the leading military power, and the leading state in the South Caucasus.