Ilham Aliyev: if Armenia continues to pursue its policy of occupation, Azerbaijan will seriously change its position - PHOTOS - UPDATE

"Azerbaijan's territorial integrity will be restored," President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview to Azerbaijani journalists in Istanbul, when asked about peace talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Head of State reminded, that Armenia has not yet responded to the updated Madrid principles presented by the OSCE Minsk Group. "Under these circumstances, the mediators should have their say. Azerbaijan has basically agreed with these principles. There is no answer from Armenia and I think that mediators should note that. For how long will Azerbaijan and the mediators wait for the answer?" Aliyev said.

He said the updated Madrid principles had been put forward by the three Minsk Group co-chairs. “I hope they will respect their proposals,” the President said. “Serious signals should be sent to Armenia, which has been undermining the peace process in the past few months. If we are all interested in continuing negotiations, some steps must be taken.”

“If Armenia continues to temporize or officially reject these principles altogether, then Azerbaijan must seriously ponder over the prospects of its participation in the process. We are thinking about this and considering different options and will try to restore our territorial integrity in any way possible. I personally, do not doubt that the country's territorial integrity will be restored… But if Armenia continues to pursue its policy of occupation and simulate negotiations, Azerbaijan will seriously change its position."

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June 9
11:28

The Azerbaijani people are in solidarity with the Turkish people with regards to the attacks on humanitarian convoy in the Mediterranean Sea, which killed innocent civilians, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in Istanbul on June 8.

"We strongly condemn this attack and support Turkey," the President said, offering deepest condolences to Turkish brothers and families of the victims.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev attends the third summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, which began in Istanbul on June 8. In his speech, the President thanked the Turkish President Abdullah Gul for his hospitality and excellent organization of this summit. Aliyev also expressed his gratitude to the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for his efforts aimed at turning the summit into an important international forum.

Azerbaijan plays its role in the regional cooperation, Aliyev said. "We are completely sure that the regional cooperation, forecasting and joint activity in the region will reduce the possible risks and help building the forecasted future for our peoples," the President said.

"The security measures in Asia are part of the global security measures. We will not be able to achieve success without complex approach to the security measures," Aliyev pointed out.

"The fight against terrorism must be conducted against all terrorist organizations in the world. The major condition of the success is to unite efforts against terrorism," the President said.

"At the same time, regional cooperation and economic growth will contribute to the security measures in our region. Therefore, Azerbaijan is doing its best to play an important role in the regional cooperation issues," he said.

"Various projects successfully implemented in Azerbaijan create a basis for broad regional cooperation. Especially I want to mention the projects on energy security. At first these projects were launched as pipeline projects, but now they have become example of a very important regional cooperation beneficial for all participants. Azerbaijan is also contributing to the revival of the historical Silk Road, and the railway project, which we are participating in, will unite Asia and Europe, bring welfare to the peoples of the region and make it available to establish a broad transportation junction. In other words, security requires uniting the efforts, economic cooperation and growth may be the way leading to success," he said.

One of the important issues that the President mentioned in his speech was the attitude towards conflict solution.

"Azerbaijan is a victim of the continuing Armenian aggression. The internationally-recognized territories of Azerbaijan have been under the Armenian occupation for almost two decades," Aliyev said.

"One million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and IDPs as a result of this occupation. 20 percent of our territories are under the Armenian occupation. This situation still continues," the President said.

Azerbaijan has incurred ethnic cleansing policy, Aliyev said. There is no any local resident in the occupied territories. "All buildings, houses, schools, graves of our ancestors, our mosques and historical heritage have been destroyed on those territories," Aliyev said.

"We demand the implementation of decisions and resolutions of international organizations by Armenia," the President noted.


/Trend/

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