Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia yesterday.
'I express my gratitude to the president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, for his efforts to turn the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia into a significant international forum. I am sure that the future of this organization will be prosperous,' Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the third summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Istanbul, state-run news agency AzerTAj reported.
Israel
Commenting on the Turkey-Israel crisis, the president said: 'I would like to express the solidarity of the Azerbaijani people with our Turkish brothers over the deadly attack on the humanitarian aid ship in the Mediterranean Sea. We condemn this attack and support Turkey. On behalf of the Azerbaijani people I offer condolences to our Turkish brothers and the families of the victims.'
Regional Cooperation
On Azerbaijan's role in regional cooperation, Ilham Aliyev said: 'We are completely sure that regional cooperation, forecasting and joint activity in the region will reduce possible risks and help to build a predicted future for our people. The security measures in Asia are a part of global security measures. We will not be able to achieve success without a comprehensive approach to security. The fight against terrorism must be against all terrorist organizations in the world. There is no good or bad terrorist. The major condition for success is to unite efforts against terrorism. At the same time, regional cooperation and economic growth will contribute to security in our region. Therefore, Azerbaijan is doing its best to play an important role in regional cooperation.'
Ilham Aliyev said that various successful projects in Azerbaijan created a basis for broad regional cooperation. 'Especially I would like to underline the projects on energy security. At first these projects were launched as pipeline projects, but now they have become an example of very important regional cooperation, beneficial for all participants. Azerbaijan is also contributing to the restoration of the historic Silk Road; the railway project that we are participating in will unite Asia and Europe, bring prosperity to the peoples of the region and allow the creation of a broad transport network. In other words, security calls on us to combine efforts; economic cooperation and growth lead to success.'
Karabakh
The president reminded his audience that part of Azerbaijan's land was still occupied by Armenia: 'One million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and IDPs [internally displaced persons] as a result of this occupation. Twenty percent of our territories are under Armenian occupation. This situation continues. We have undergone ethnic cleansing. There is no local resident left in the occupied territories. Ethnic cleansing was carried out there. All buildings, houses, schools, the graves of our ancestors, our mosques and historical heritage have been destroyed in those areas. We demand that Armenia implement the decisions and resolutions of international organizations. The Security Council of the United Nations has passed four resolutions, which unequivocally confirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of its borders, and unconditionally demand the immediate withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. But the decisions of the Security Council remain on paper. Resolutions of the UN General Assembly, OSCE, OIC, Council of Europe and European Parliament, as well as other international organizations have not been fulfilled yet. Each country should uphold the norms of international law. We are members of international organizations and we should respect the decisions passed by them. If those decisions are passed and not fulfilled, then confidence in international establishments will decrease.'
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan had tried to restore its territorial integrity by peaceful means: 'The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has been recognized by the entire world community and international organizations. The resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict must be based on the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and a status of self-governance and autonomy for the Armenian minority in our country. I want to reiterate that Azerbaijan will continue to contribute to security issues in our region in future. We will continue contributing to the economic advancement of the region through our endeavours and investments outside our country. Projects on transport and energy infrastructure unite peoples and states. There must be a balance between the interests of consumers, producers and transit countries. Only then will all projects contribute to common prosperity.'
Later in the day Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Azerbaijani journalists in Istanbul, answering questions on his working visit to Turkey, Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, the talks to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijan's energy policy. The interview was broadcast by Azerbaijan's ANS TV.
Aliyev commented on what Baku considers to be Armenia's refusal to accept the Madrid principles, the principles put forward by the OSCE as a basis for talks on a Karabakh settlement.
'Armenia has not yet responded to the updated Madrid principles submitted by the OSCE Minsk Group. In these circumstances, the mediating countries [Russia, the USA and France] should have their say. Azerbaijan has given its agreement in principle to these principles,' Ilham Aliyev said.
'There are some points there that do not suit us, but they are of a technical and editorial nature. The principles reflect the issue of the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the return of displaced people. There is no answer from Armenia and I think that the mediating countries should make their position clear. How long will Azerbaijan and the mediators wait for an answer?'
He said that the updated Madrid principles had been submitted by the three Minsk Group co-chairmen. 'I hope that they will respect their proposals,' the president said. 'Serious signals should be given to Armenia, which has been undermining the process in the past few months. If we are all interested in continuing the negotiations, then steps must be taken.
'If Armenia continues to spin out the time or refuses to accept these principles altogether, then Azerbaijan must seriously think over the prospects for its participation in the process. We are thinking about this and considering different options and will try in any way possible to restore our territorial integrity. I personally do not doubt that the country's territorial integrity will be restored. The question is how and when. We want to resolve the issue as soon as possible and peacefully. But if Armenia continues its policy of occupation, cloaked in negotiations, then Azerbaijan will seriously change its position.'
The updated version of the Madrid principles, put forward by the OSCE mediators in late 2009, has been the subject of mutual accusations between Armenia and Azerbaijan ever since.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said on 29 March that Armenia had accepted the OSCE's Madrid principles for a Karabakh settlement as a basis for talks two years ago and the updated version was little changed.
The sticking point remains the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan wants Karabakh to remain part of Azerbaijan, while Armenia insists on the reverse.
Gas Deal
The Azerbaijani president said the agreements on gas supplies signed with Turkey on Monday created new opportunities for Azerbaijan, ANS TV reported. 'These investments will promote the flow of investment into other sectors too. The question of the transit of Azerbaijani gas via Turkey has been fully resolved which opens up new opportunities for Azerbaijan,' the president said.
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