Mr.Aliyev gave an interview in İstanbul
- Mr. President, You held a number of meetings within the framework of the summit in Turkey. Generally we would like you inform us about your address at the summit and your meetings.
- The meetings were very successful. These meetings have a traditional character. We are regularly meeting with our partners and using of this chance we held a number of meetings. The negotiations I held with the Turkish president and prime minister, Russian prime minister, Ukrainian and Iranian presidents brought good results. The relations between these countries and Azerbaijan have great history and we are actively working in the different fields. There is successful cooperation in bilateral format and within the international organizations as well. Our relations with all countries were established on the basis of mutual interests and respect. I consider that the negotiations and meetings I held yesterday and today will contribute to the development of relations between these countries and Azerbaijan generally.
- You declared many times that if Armenia doesn’t respond or says no to the Madrid principles, the country will show its position and resolute will. What will happen if Armenia doesn’t respond?
- We are facing with the situation you mentioned, because Armenia doesn’t say “yes” or “no”. Therefore the mediators must make a resolute statement in present situation. As you know I declared many times that Azerbaijan is principally agreeing with the renewed Madrid principles. Of course, there are certain points in those proposals, which can not satisfy us. But those proposals have technical and editing character. Entirely the renewed Madrid principles describe restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, return of all people suffering from the aggression to their homelands. There is no response from Armenia and I consider that the co-chair countries must express their resolute opinion about the issue. How long Azerbaijan or rather the co-chair countries should wait for response?! The renewed Madrid principles are not our proposals. The principles were proposed by the three co-chair countries. I hope these countries will respect own proposals and send serious messages to Armenia, which has tried to break the negotiations in recent months. If all of us are interested in the development of the negotiations there should be any step. If Armenia continues to delay the negotiations or officially gives negative response, of course Azerbaijan should seriously think about the prospects of its participation in this process. We are thinking about that. We are considering various alternatives and we will work for restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan by any means. I have no doubts that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. The question is that when and how it will do that?! We want to solve the problem soon and peacefully. But if Armenia wants to continue its aggressive policy and to simulate the negotiations, Azerbaijan, of course, will make serious changes in its position.
- Azerbaijan and Turkey signed a contract about Shahdeniz gas export. Could this contract be evaluated as a historic event in the Azerbaijan’s energy policy? What do you think about the prospects of this contract?
- I consider that this contract has special place among the Azerbaijan’s achievements in the energy field. It will lead to the implementation of a giant project. According to preliminary estimations, $US20 billion will be invested in this project. If we take into account that $US40 billion investment has been made in oil-gas sector of Azerbaijan since 1995, we can see that the project demands huge financial resources. On the other hand, implementation of this project will enable us to completely realize Azerbaijan’s rich gas resources. The gas production is restricted now with the existing markets. We can increase the production in a short time but the gas production is directly connected to the existing market opportunities. It will enable us to produce and to transport at least 16 billion cubic meters additionally in Shahdeniz field five years later. If we take the strengthened and diversified gas export infrastructure of Azerbaijan into consideration, we can transport any volume of natural gas in any direction owing to extension of existing pipelines. It will enable us to organize the large currency flow to our country. On the other hand, gas cooperation is not restricted with the economic interests only. Of course, it will be turned into the factor strengthening Azerbaijan’s position in the region and the continent. I am happy that at last we could reach agreement on all issues. The issue of additional gas transportation to Turkey found its solution and it also considers the necessary measures to pay previous price difference and in the future, if there is an opportunity, we can transport the natural gas in various directions. I hope all of our plans will be realized because all tasks in the energy field were fulfilled successfully and in time.
- You received a letter from the US President. What is Your opinion about this letter. Will You respond it?
- Of course, I will respond. I am sure that the points described in this letter will determine prospects of US-Azerbaijan relations. The letter described previously achieved points and it is also a serious step forward. The relations between Azerbaijan and the United States, which mentioned in the letter, have a great history. These relations were not formed in the past year or two. These relations have a long history. Our contribution to the peacekeeping operations, our energy initiatives, which led to the contract signed today as well, - entirely the energy policy Azerbaijan started in mid-1990s has changed the energy map of the world. We did it and no we are working on other projects based on this positive experience.
US-Azerbaijan bilateral relations have very large agenda. I hope it will include new additional factors in the cooperation satisfying both sides in the next years. It was good will letter. We will continue our cooperation on all issues described in this letter.
- You met with Vladimir Putin. Of course, Russia has a role in the solution of Karabakh conflict despite it rejects it. Many things depend on the Russia’s will to accelerate the conflict solution. Did You mention these issues during the meeting?
- There are regular bilateral consultations between Azerbaijan and the Minsk Group co-chairs. The consultations are conducted with the US, French and Russian representatives in the different levels. None of them rejects its role in the solution of this problem. In turn, we also can not allow discrimination. All of the co-chair countries are like a group for us. Of course, Russia is only country among them which is neighboring with Azerbaijan. It is located in this region. . Russia is the Caspian and Caucasus country. It is our neighbor. Undoubtedly the country located in this region has unique opportunities and mechanisms of pressure. Despite that I would like to note again that we never distinguish these three co-chair countries from each other because the Minsk Group is an united institution and its co-chairs also have an united position and their proposals have no individual character. They are making common proposals.
Of course, we expect all the co-chairing countries to have serious influence on the Armenian side, because a new period has started in the negotiations. This period differs from the other periods. Negotiations have been held in all other periods since 1992, the establishment of the Minsk Group. Though the negotiations were being held basing on various proposals, it was a unique process. Now we have reached the stage, when the proposals prepared basing on the updated Madrid principles are on the table.
The Azerbaijani side accepts this, Armenia does not accept it. As regards your previous question, if it continues so, something must happen. What can happen?! There is no big choice. Either this issue will remain so. That is, the status quo will continue, we can not admit this. The status quo must be changed. Either the negotiations must continue for imitation, Azerbaijan will never agree to it. I have stated several times that we will not participate in the negotiations for imitation. We will participate in the negotiations by the time we have a hope to reach results, or the issue will leave the frozen state and pass to another stage. It is no secret that this is a military variant. It has never been excluded, and is not excluded now, we should always be ready for this variant. Therefore, the present period has its logic and importance. The steps that will be taken both by Armenia and the co-chairing countries will determine the way of solution to the problem.
We want very much the co-chairing countries to use their influence, send serious messages to Armenia and urge them to accept the updated Madrid principles so that we can start work on the peace agreement basing on it.
-Turkish Prime Minister said at the press conference that You give great support to Turkey in connection with the incident in the Mediterranean Sea. We would like to hear it from You.
-I expressed my views in my speech. As you know, Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to react to this bloody incident, because we are always with Turkey. We have always supported Turkey in all issues and give support now. We have reacted to the bloody attack on the civilians in the international waters. I repeated it during my speech today. We condemn this attack. We express our solidarity with Turkey, the Turkish people, offer condolences to the families of the martyrs. We consider that serious investigations must be carried out, criminals must be punished. Our position here is unambiguous, resolute and is based on our brotherly relations with Turkey and the international law. Of course, we think that the countries, which are considered Turkey’s allies, should also express similar position. Real friends should express their position in hard times. Many people can say good words, when everything is good, but in hard times both countries and peoples should express their position. This position, that is principled position, is very important for people and countries. Azerbaijan has never hidden its principled position. We have always reacted to all the issues concerning the close countries. Azerbaijan has never supported any illegal action, nor ignored illegal actions. Especially, in our relations with Turkey. We see similar position from Turkey. Turkey has always been with us, supported us, since Azerbaijan restored its state independence. This is so today. Sometimes there are forces who want to interfere in relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Sometimes they may create an appearance, but can not influence the essence of the work. Unfortunately, Turkish and sometimes Azerbaijani press published improper articles about the situation within the past year. We can not allow it. We can not allow the forces disliking us to damage Turkey-Azerbaijan relations by exaggerating any artificial issue. It is impossible and the current happenings, current state of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations prove this. Turkish Prime Minister has recently paid an official visit to Azerbaijan. During the visit monument to the great leader Mustafa Kamal Ataturk was unveiled in the center of Baku. Indeed we have brotherly relations. Therefore, we should always give our support and I am sure that it will be so in future.
-As you know after the Sochi talks there is some standstill in the process of the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Do You plan to meet with Armenian President soon?
-It has not been proposed yet. As you know, no meeting was held after the Sochi talks, though in Sochi Armenian President asked two weeks to take a stance on the proposal. Six months have passed, there is no news. Therefore, no meeting is planned soon. We have not received an offer.
-Mr. President, we are grateful that you have found time for us in your tight schedule.
-You are welcome. My meetings with media representatives are not so active. But I am always ready to meet with you, simply there is no opportunity in Baku. From time to time I express my views on the issues that I want to say. I appreciate your activity. Your yesterday’s question created an opportunity to publicize Azerbaijan’s attitude towards the incident in the Mediterranean Sea. It is our common work to reveal truths about Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, sometimes foreign media demonstrates unfair and biased position. It has various causes. I do not want to publicize most of them. Maybe we should not pay attention to it. But on the other hand we should reveal our truths in exchange for it. Attention should be drawn to the realities about our country, ongoing processes in the country, the country’s development. Sometimes foreign media outlets either deny or distort it, so an opinion is formed that does not reflect the reality. As a state we do not pay attention to it, because I think that the main thing is to continue our work. If we are sure that this work is necessary for our country we should do it in spite of everything. Azerbaijan’s current realities and the achievements show that the way that we have chosen is right. Though there have been some pressures, to put it mildly, some recommendations or attempts from various sides recently, none of them could change our main course. Our way is the way of independence and development. Azerbaijani people determine and will determine their fate themselves. Azerbaijan is living at its own expenses and will live better from year to year. We want to inform the world community about the realities of our country. The forces that have biased attitude towards us may continue their activities for some more years, but it is impossible to deny our realities. As time passes, our foreign relations extend it will be impossible to deny the real situation about Azerbaijan.
I heard only positive views about Azerbaijan in all the meetings, foreign visits, negotiations held at the highest level. The most important is that there is no divergence concerning the future development in Azerbaijani society. The Azerbaijani society demonstrates unique position in this issue. Each of us should work to increase the might of our country, strengthen our independence and improve the welfare of the Azerbaijani people. I wish success to the Azerbaijani people.
AzerTac
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