Serob Marutyan
After the Charles Michel-Nikol Pashinyan-Ilham Aliyev meeting in Brussels, the President of Azerbaijan made several statements in an interview with the Spanish “El Pais” periodical. The interview about Azerbaijan’s policy towards Armenia, in general, can be considered programmatic.
Aliyev mainly expressed the following thoughts ․
• The border situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is generally stable. If there are incidents, the Armenian side is to blame.
• The Armenian side has revanchist moods, which leads to military provocations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
• The Armenian side can not carry out provocations in Karabakh, which is considered the area of responsibility of the Russians.
• The military provocations of the Armenians mainly fail, which leads to the fact that the Armenian side loses positions in the border area.
• Azerbaijan has not invaded the territory of Armenia, but has become stronger and stronger in positions that it thinks are its own, as the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is not delimited or demarcated.
• The 44-day war dispelled the myths about the invincible Armenian military force, courage and heroism, which make the Armenian society extremely difficult.
• Azerbaijan does not want a war. Azerbaijan wants peace. It is enough how many wars there were.
• Azerbaijan wants predictability but will be vigilant to eliminate anything possible of revanchism or becoming a threat to Azerbaijan.
• Armenian-Azerbaijani borders must be delimited and demarcated ․ it is an alternative process.
• Azerbaijan has repeatedly offered Armenia to start peace talks and work on a comprehensive peace agreement, but the Armenian leadership did not respond.
• Azerbaijan won the Second Karabakh War, and that must be taken into account.
• The issue of gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Europe, as well as the fact that with these supplies Azerbaijan competes with Russia, are exaggerated and politicized. Azerbaijan has no such aspirations, and similar issues have not been discussed between Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• The increase in gas prices in Europe will continue, as Europe has chosen an energy strategy that implies this.
• The signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan means that Armenia and Azerbaijan will recognize each other’s territorial integrity.
• Armenia does not recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which is why it does not agree to the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement.
• Armenia and Azerbaijan have a full agreement on the launch of railway communication, which will connect Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan, and Armenia with Iran and Russia.
• Azerbaijan is interested in opening its borders with Armenia.
• No one will move either Armenia or Azerbaijan to another planet. Armenia and Azerbaijan must live side by side and learn to be neighbors again.
• Direct communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the level of Defense Ministers is effective, and it was established with the direct support of CoE President Charles Michel.
• After the war, naturally, Azerbaijan’s interest in military production increased.
• The return of prisoners and detainees is an ongoing process. It is based on humanitarianism and the Azerbaijani legislation and is implemented accordingly.