Wednesday, January 11 2023 11:18

ArmInfo. This year will be the last chance for a peace agreement with Armenia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated at a news conference. 

 

"We can live like this for a long time, there is no need for a peace  treaty. But what will happen then? Time will tell. This is why I  think they will hear my messages and draw the right conclusions.  Again, I don't want to be seen as someone putting pressure in this  case. Under no circumstances have I shown any disrespect, not even in  relation to someone not deserving any respect. I just have to point  it out again. Because I think this year will be the last chance for  them. Because then 2024 comes, and then in 2025, Russia's  peacekeeping mission ends. They need to see slightly farther than  their noses," said. 

As regards the blockade of Artsakh, President Aliyev said those young  people are "a source of our pride."

"First, everyone has already seen that there is no talk of a blockade  at all. About four hundred trucks of peacekeepers have passed through  there - in less than a month. Of course, all the vehicles that passed  there, even prior to this action, were checked. How did we learn that  Iranian vehicles were taking fuel there? We saw it there. However,  the Iranian side tried to deny it. They even wanted to deceive us at  such a primitive level by attaching fake Armenian license plates on  Iranian vehicles," he said. 

"Our demands are also completely legitimate. Monitoring, inspection  and an end to illegal exploitation are necessary, and we will achieve  that. Therefore, it is simply unfair to call the events happening on  the Lachin-Khankendi road a blockade," Aliyev said. 

"I must also note that no matter what weapons are given to Armenia,  it will not help them, and I have said this to the Armenian side  several times. Secondly, it may create an illusion in the revanchist  forces in [Armenia]. If we see that there is a serious threat to us,  we will crush this threat immediately - no matter where this threat  comes from, from our territory or beyond our borders. We see and know  which countries are preparing to give arms to Armenia. Unfortunately,  India is now playing a role among them. We consider this as an  unfriendly step. Because these weapons, especially offensive weapons,  have a target, and it is Azerbaijan. Therefore, of course, we are  taking the necessary measures and cannot allow Armenia to create a  danger for us," Aliyev said.

"I want to mention one other thing. At the same time, Armenia's  closest ally wanted to send an OSCE mission, but we objected to that.  Because such issues are approved and resolved on the basis of  consensus in the OSCE. Of course, we said that we would not give a  consensus. Then, finding a loophole in the rules, they sent a  delegation of the OSCE there without consensus. Again manipulation,  again fraud. After this fraud was revealed and we expressed our  protest, the most beloved ally of Armenia tried to blame it on the  co-chair of the OSCE, Poland, claiming that they did not know and  that Poland did it. So these details can be opened up a little. I  just want to bring to your and the public's attention the degree of  hypocrisy, to show who and what we have to face in defending our own  rights. Therefore, the sending of this mission is of course very  unpleasant. This will not increase security, but rather, this format  of negotiations with us will undergo a major shake-up. A question was  asked about those negotiation formats. After the "passing away" of  the Minsk Group, the European Union started to play its role, and we  supported it. I personally made a statement about it several times. I  said that we appreciated it. However, if such games will go behind  our backs, then the future of this format will be in doubt. France  has virtually isolated itself from this process.  America and Russia  remain. In other words, this is how we see the negotiation at the  moment. Of course, Europe can be there, but if, I say again, it  treats us fairly," Aliyev said.