All dots above the "I" and how Baku knows how to place them

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave a master class for world politicians in terms of iron logic and argumentation. He also puts the dots on the "I" expertly. This is not given to many leaders. In an interview with France 24 TV channel given during the Munich Security Conference, the Azerbaijani President put an end to a number of issues that seemed to be open to certain circles and countries.

Recently, especially on the eve of the visit of US Vice President Jay Dee Vance to the region, there has been a lot of talk about the alleged upcoming changes in the fate of Armenian war criminals who received sentences for their deeds. It seemed to someone that Vance would devote his visit to this issue. The United States will put pressure on Baku and these individuals will be released. How, why, and where did such forecasts come from? Perhaps such expectations were prompted by the recent transfer of four prisoners to Armenia, which some saw not as a one-time step of goodwill, but as the beginning of a process that would result in all the criminals being released.

In the foreign media, these forecasts were viewed with a reasonable degree of confidence. It is no coincidence that the French journalist devoted a significant place to the topic of the liberation of the separatists. But this is even very useful, because it was necessary to close this topic once and for all, and for as wide an audience as possible. There is no doubt that what the President of Azerbaijan said has already spread all over the world. And more importantly, these words were heard by a concerned part of the internal audience, who fell for the demagoguery of the provocateurs.

The Head of State made it very clear that no changes in the fate of war criminals should be expected. Yes, the American side probed the situation, and that's it. "During the meeting with the Vice president, which lasted several hours, among other issues, he raised this issue, and I outlined Azerbaijan's position on this issue, and that was it. We mainly discussed bilateral relations, regional development, TRIPP and the prospects of concluding an official peace with Armenia," President Ilham Aliyev told the French TV channel.

It should be noted that on the eve of Vance's visit, the Armenian opposition, separatists, the Diaspora, the lobby, and various international Christian NGOs bombarded Washington with appeals and tearful requests to put pressure on Baku and rescue the "Christian martyrs." These messages had no effect. On the contrary, in Baku, the Vice President of the United States spoke about the tolerance of Azerbaijan and the peaceful coexistence of different faiths here. In other words, the Armenians who received sentences are not viewed by the American side from a religious perspective, which caused a nervous reaction in certain circles, who, remembering Donald Trump's pre-election statements, expected completely different results.

The sentenced persons committed crimes against Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people. And it lasted for three decades. The four who were handed over to Armenia in January are ordinary performers. Only one of them was involved in the Khojaly genocide, but this is a sick old man whom the Azerbaijani side allowed to die in his homeland for humanitarian reasons. Those who were given harsh sentences are the leaders, those who made criminal decisions and participated directly in their execution. The blood and tears of thousands of peaceful Azerbaijanis, children and the elderly are on their hands and on their conscience. What kind of pardon can we talk about?

The journalist of the France 24 TV channel believes that pardoning the criminals would be a gesture of goodwill. He is not the first to suggest that Azerbaijan "turn the page." The country, which suffered from the thirty-year occupation, is expected to forget everything, turn over the most difficult pages of its history and archive the case. Isn't there too much expectation from Azerbaijan?

"You know, these people have committed serious crimes against humanity. Imagine the Nuremberg trials after World War II, and two months after all these Nazi leaders are sentenced to death, someone comes and asks for their release... Their crimes were even worse than what the Nazis committed during World War II," President Ilham Aliyev snapped, closing the topic.

The dots above the "i" are placed. Azerbaijan's position is very clear and accessible. I think it was expressed in the same spirit at the meeting with Mr. Vance. Most likely, the American side will no longer return to this. The American-Azerbaijani agenda is extensive and too important for Washington to overshadow it with interference in the affairs of Azerbaijan, which will not remain without consequences.

There is another topic that needed to be clarified for an international audience. And again, it's good that a French journalist picked it up. The Frenchman suggested that Baku "turn the page", if not on the issue of prisoners, then on "compassion for the Armenians who had to leave Karabakh as a result of the last war."

The Azerbaijani President's response should be given in detail here. He said:

"Our position on this issue has been very clear. It has been repeatedly voiced, including published on the website - we have invited all Armenians living in Karabakh to apply for Azerbaijani citizenship or a work permit. We had several rounds of interaction with representatives of Karabakh Armenians, but they chose to leave for Armenia. We have hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who were deported from the territory of modern Armenia and subjected to ethnic cleansing, but the Armenian government has never put forward any proposals for their return. I think we should consider this issue from the perspective of reciprocity. The right to return is a universal right, and, of course, Azerbaijan will definitely respect this right if we receive an appropriate appeal. But at the same time, considering that we fought with Armenia for 30 years and they occupied our territory for 30 years, we expect a similar attitude towards hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, whom we call Western Azerbaijanis, and giving them the opportunity to return to the territory of present-day Armenia."

If you put the words of the head of state in one sentence, it will sound like this: Armenians will be able to return to Karabakh only when Azerbaijanis will be able to return to Armenia. It's logical and fair. No one is saying that the path to Azerbaijan is closed to Armenians, but international law cannot be interpreted in the interests of one country and ignore another. As the head of state says, this is a two-way road. And foreign "walkers" can only talk about the return of Armenians to Karabakh in conjunction with the return of Azerbaijanis. No changes are expected in this position.

The three hundred thousand Azerbaijanis who were subjected to ethnic cleansing in Armenia in the late 1980s have never been taken into account by international organizations and powers. The complete expulsion of the second largest ethnic group from the Armenian SSR, which historically lived in this territory, has never raised any questions about Yerevan. This was taken for granted as a consequence of the conflict. Some European officials did not even try to hide that for them the return of Armenians and the return of Azerbaijanis are "completely different issues." What they are right about is that there is indeed a big difference between voluntary departure and forced exile.

In Armenia, they are afraid of the return of Azerbaijanis and do not want them, madly, to the point of hysteria. Realizing that in conditions of uncontrollable nationalism this would cause big problems inside the country, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wisely decided to abandon the demands for the return of Armenians to Karabakh. It is not possible to raise this issue, bypassing the topic of the return of Azerbaijanis. Baku will not make any concessions. To condition the peace process, as demanded by the opposition, on the return of the separatists and the release of the "Christian martyrs" would be a serious mistake that would cost Armenia dearly.

Pashinyan does not want to risk his chance to raise Armenia from its knees. The United States and other partners of Yerevan do not want to risk strategically beneficial relations with Baku. International organizations do not want to risk being drawn into intractable disputes that will drag on for many years. So far, no Western politician has even hinted to the Armenian side about the need for the return of Azerbaijanis. This topic continues to be taboo in the world. Therefore, the issue of the return of Armenians to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, I think, can be considered closed. 

President Ilham Aliyev has also put an end to the "I" in the issue of signing a peace treaty. It can be officially concluded only after Armenia has amended its Constitution. Once this is done, there will be no obstacles to the official signing of a peace treaty, the Azerbaijani leader said in an interview with a French TV channel, adding, however, that "peace has already been achieved for Azerbaijan." The two countries are starting to build relations and learn to live in peace, there are no gunshots on the borders. Nevertheless, the preamble of the Armenian Constitution remains a stumbling block. As long as the basic law of the former occupier contains claims on the territory of Azerbaijan, it is impossible to talk about a lasting and long-term peace. And the President of Azerbaijan wants this peace to be eternal, and therefore Baku does not make any concessions on fundamental issues.

Baku's rigidity and principled approach is a way of salvation for the region. Including for Armenia.