The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh should not go beyond the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with channel One, which was broadcast on the "Time will show" program on Wednesday.
"The conflict should not go beyond the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan," he said.
At the same time, Aliyev stressed that the conflict does not even reach the territory of Armenia. "Despite the shelling from the Armenian territory, we do not launch any attacks on the territory of Armenia, we do not move to the territory of Armenia, although there are all opportunities for this," the President of Azerbaijan says.
The President of Azerbaijan believes that Armenia is trying to internationalize the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and involve European countries and the collective security Treaty organization (CSTO) in it.
"The Armenian side is trying to involve the CSTO in this confrontation, without success. Trying to draw in European countries. And, in essence, it is trying to internationalize this conflict, to which we accordingly present our position on the inadmissibility of such an approach," he said.
Talks
Aliyev added that Azerbaijan intends to return to the negotiating table after the end of the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"When the phase of the military confrontation ends, of course, we will return to the negotiating table. By the way, Azerbaijan said from the very beginning of the fighting that we are not leaving the negotiation process, we are counting on a political settlement, but it should be a settlement. We cannot sit and wait for another 30 years for the corresponding impact to be made on Armenia," the Azerbaijani leader said.
Political settlement of the conflict
Aliyev also said that the political settlement of the Karabakh conflict should be supported by guarantees of the leading countries of the world, while their composition may not be limited to the co - chairs of the OSCE Minsk group-Russia, France and the United States.
"If we talk about peace, first of all, I see it as a political settlement that would be comprehensive, that would be long - term, eternal, with serious guarantees from the leading countries of the world, those countries that will be acceptable to both Azerbaijan and Armenia," Aliyev said. - "I do not rule out that the composition of these countries may be different from that of the OSCE Minsk group and its co - chairs today."
The President of Azerbaijan noted that the OSCE Minsk group on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict was established in 1992 in completely different geopolitical realities than those that exist now. "It was only after the collapse of the USSR, and to be honest, I don't really understand on what basis this group was created," Aliyev said.
The President of Azerbaijan believes that it is too early to say which countries can become guarantors of the future peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. "Today, when the conflict has entered an active phase <...>, it is clear who has the potential for settlement," he added. "These are those who have the potential for a settlement, those whom Azerbaijan respects for their dignity, for justice, for sincerity, and they will have to be the guarantors of long - term peace."
In this regard, Aliyev noted that regional cooperation has already shown itself in many areas. As an example, he suggested looking at the achievements made by the Caspian States, which after many years signed the Convention on the regulation of the legal status of the Caspian sea.
"Today, cooperation between the great power of Russia and the great power of Turkey, which is a member of NATO, is much more sincere, strong, and effective than cooperation between a NATO country - Turkey, and, say, with another NATO country that constantly accuses Turkey of something," the President of Azerbaijan continued. - This is a new geopolitical reality, this was not the case in 1992. The world has changed. It is changing before our eyes."
"We must proceed from this, and not from any dogmas, not from any assumptions or established opinions," Aliyev stressed.
The role of Russia and Turkey
According to Aliyev, Russia and Turkey can first of all have a positive impact on reducing the escalation in the post-conflict settlement around Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Of course, Turkey, as a great country, as our neighbor, as a neighbor in the South Caucasus, has every right to participate in the mediation mission that will be carried out after the end of active hostilities. Given that the current mediation mission for 28 years did not lead to any results, but led to inaction, what we have now, of course, we must proceed from a pragmatic approach - who can really have a positive impact on events in the region to reduce escalation, to establish lasting peace, to develop cooperation. And, of course, first of all, I think it is Turkey and Russia," the head of Azerbaijan said.
Population
The Azerbaijani population should return to their places of residence after the settlement of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, while Armenians and Azerbaijanis should live together, Aliyev believes.
"After the end of the conflict, after a peaceful settlement, and this, by the way, is reflected in the basic principles, which are called the Madrid principles, the Azerbaijani population should return to the occupied territories. It clearly states that all displaced persons have the right to return to their places of residence. Thus, after a peace agreement is reached, and I hope that this will happen, then the Azerbaijanis will return to Nagorno - Karabakh and will live where they lived," Aliyev said.
He added that the Armenian and Azerbaijani populations should live together. "After the settlement of the conflict, after the end of the occupation, the Armenian and Azerbaijani population of Nagorno-Karabakh should live together, as it has been for many years," Aliyev said
"At the end of the 1980s, 75% of the population in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh was Armenian, and 25% was Azerbaijani," he recalled.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS