Asim Mollazade: "There are no grounds to doubt about the restoration of the territorial integrity of our country"

- How would you comment on the results of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Moscow?

- The visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Moscow showed that our country, despite all difficulties in the South Caucasus region, maintains normal political relations with Russia and develops bilateral cultural and economic relations.

These actions of official Baku show that Azerbaijan conducts a correct external policy, owing to which we have good strategic relations with the United States, develop relations with the European community, play and important role in ensuring energy security of the Western countries and at the same time maintain good neighbor relations with Russia.

I am sure that Azerbaijani-Russian relations have all conditions for further development, especially, in the economic sector.

- How would you comment on the announcement of several local experts that Azerbaijan's NATO membership can be the only protection from Russia's possible aggression?

- Today, Azerbaijan is developing relations with NATO, attaching great importance to this cooperation. In particular, Azerbaijani army is transforming and being brought in compliance with NATO standards. But, at the same time, it should be reminded that NATO has not yet decided about admission of Ukraine and Georgia, which I consider to be an excessive delay.

On the whole, I do not see any problems in the development of good neighbor relations with Russia for Azerbaijan, which continues the policy of strategic cooperation with NATO. In this connection, it should be reminded that Azerbaijan is also successfully developing ties with the Middle Asian countries and Turkey. In conclusion, I want to say that the multi-directional and balanced external policy of Azerbaijan allows it to play significant role not only in the South Caucasus region, but also position itself as an important player on the world political arena, capable of finding contact points in the relations with the United states, as well as Europe and Russia.

- Will this multi-directional and balanced external policy of Azerbaijan promote return of the occupied lands of our country?

- I am sure that we are closer to the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict more than ever, for both the NATO countries and Russia are interested in its resolution.

- But resolutions differ, therefore, will all the lands of our country  be returned in the result of the resolution, you have mentioned?

- Naturally, it will, for there can be no other variant of the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, except for the return of all the Azerbaijani lands, occupied by Armenia. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not a subject of talks, which was reiterated by President of our country Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Russia. Based on international law, Azerbaijan's position is supported by the world community, which means that there are no grounds to doubt about the restoration of the territorial integrity of our country.

- I want very much to believe in your optimistic forecasts. Nevertheless, there is still an unsettled question: what can make Armenia agree to return the occupied lands to Azerbaijan?

- This can be the real assessment of the situation in the South Caucasus region. A fleet glance at the situation in all the three countries of our region would be enough to realize that Armenia is the most backward country in our region. By isolating itself from all positive and perspective processes and projects, implemented in our region, due to the existence of territorial claims to all the South Caucasus countries and due to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, Armenia has driven itself to a poor economic state, thus being deprived of the prospects of further development.

The number of politicians who are aware of the complexity of the situation is growing in Armenia, which allows to state that Armenia will have to adhere to international law, under which the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be settled only in the framework of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

/Day.Az/