To restore peace it is necessary to end aggression: President
President Ilham Aliyev has visited residents of the Azerbaijani regions injured and suffered as a result of the Armenian attacks on the frontline zones.
Despite an agreement to follow the ceasefire agreement reached in 1994 Armenia continues to breach truce and targets Azerbaijani civilians in contravention of international document, in particular the Geneva Conventions.
President Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva visited Tartar, Barda and Aghdam regions, which are located on the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces, on May 1.
The head of state first visited a military unit in Tartar, where Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov informed Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev about the current situation on the front line.
The president visited the headquarters, canteen and barracks of the military unit. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief met with servicemen, and gave presents to those of them who displayed valor while repulsing Armenian armed forces` provocation on the line of contact.
Then, President Aliyev and his spouse visited the city of Tartar, Gapanli village, located in 200 meters of the line of contact, as well as Mahrizli village in Aghdam region, which were damaged as a result of Armenian army`s shelling from large-caliber weapons and artillery on the night of April 27 to 28.
The Supreme Commander-inChief viewed the destroyed houses, and talked to local residents. The head of state gave instructions to restore the houses as soon as possible.
Later, the presidential couple visited Barda Treatment and Diagnostics Center to see civilians, who were wounded as a result of Armenian armed forces` shelling.
The visit came as Armenian authorities refused to continue peace talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh and violated ceasefire killing two and injuring 7 Azerbaijani civilians on April 28.
President Aliyev, addressing the meeting with the personnel of a military unit in Terter, stressed that when the international pressure on Armenia over the conflict increases, it even more violates the ceasefire and stages armed provocations.
"The international community has already been fully informed about the conflict. Over these years, we managed to prove to the whole world that we are the aggrieved party," the president added.
"Armenia is the aggressor, has committed genocide against the Azerbaijani people, occupied our lands and continues this occupa- tion," said President Aliyev. "The [OSCE] Minsk Group co-chairs, who are engaged in this issue, have repeatedly said in recent times that the status quo is unacceptable and should be changed."
It means that the occupation should be ended, President Aliyev said, explaining that it is a signal directly addressed to Armenia.
Armenia has occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory in the early 1990s. As an outcome of the war, more than one million of people have been subjected to the ethnic cleansing by Armenia. The occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years which resulted in the renewal of hostilities in early April.
The Armenian-staged provocation made the international community think in depth about the real threat that exists in the region. The hostilities showed the world that the status quo, which Armenia is keen to preserve, is categorically unacceptable in this situation.
Therefore, as President Aliyev stressed, when Armenians see that Azerbaijan gains more support worldwide, they periodically stage armed provocations in order to disrupt the negotiations and continue the policy of occupation.
“We witnessed this in the recent past. They attacked our positions in the summer of 2014. Our army gave an adequate response that time as well."
In November of the same year when there emerged certain hope in the negotiations, Armenia, as it said, held large-scale exercises in the occupied Aghdam region with participation of the personnel consisting of 47,000 people, said the president, noting that it was a purely provocative move.
"The Azerbaijani side showed high restraint for several days. But afterwards, two military helicopters of Armenia attacked our positions," said Ilham Aliyev. "Azerbaijani army destroyed one of them. Taking the advantage of this, Armenia accused us and the negotiation process came to the deadlock again."
President Aliyev once again emphasized that Azerbaijan wants the problem to be resolved peacefully, but it should be settled.
"Holding negotiations just for the sake of negotiations makes no sense," he said. "Thus, on April 5, it was agreed to restore ceasefire. We adhered to the ceasefire, and continue to do so today as well. But, unfortunately, Armenia once again shows an insincere approach," Aliyev said, adding that not a single day has passed without the ceasefire violations by Armenia since April 5.
President Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani army have never been at war with civilian population.
"We just destroy the enemy's firing positions when we are shot at," Azerbaijani president said. "But, at the same time, the Azerbaijani army must protect, protects and will protect its citizens. The settlement of the conflict will allow the Armenian government to build an independent state. I still hope that their aggressive policy will come to an end, because there is no other way."
President Aliyev stressed there will be sought ways to put Armenia on the right path through negotiations. "We will strengthen diplomatic, political, economic pressure and intensify positions of the contact line of troops. If another Armenian armed provocation is committed against us, the necessary answer will be given again, and the result will be the same, because today the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies on a global scale,” he added.
Army building is the priority of Azerbaijan's policy and it is natural, as the country is in a state of war, the war hasn't ended yet. He Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies in the world both for its logistics and equipment, and in terms of its com- bat capability.
President Aliyev further stressed that everything necessary will be done for the construction of the army.
Noting that a new situation has emerged on the line of contact after the Armenian armed provocations, the president said now Azerbaijan has full advantage on the line of contact.
"Certainly, from now on, we will even more strengthen our positions on the line of contact," he said, adding that necessary measures are taken in order to achieve that.
"All the efforts are in vein. In order to restore peace in the region, it is simply necessary to put an end to the aggression. I believe that it will be so," he added.
Zakir Hasanov, voicing deep gratitude to Azerbaijan's president on behalf of the whole personnel, said that the personnel of the armed forces are ready and able to fulfill all orders in a short time.
The president’s visit once again highlighted that state does not diminish attention to the issues of military construction, that military reform will continue, and shelling of front-line villages will not go unpunished.Azerbaijan is peace-loving nation, but peacefulness should not be confused with the fear.
The Azerbaijani army is strong enough to protect its civilians and liberate the occupied lands. No wonder, those residents of frontline villages voiced belief in Azerbaijani army.
The visit also revealed no signs of panic or confusion, proving that Azerbaijanis do not plan to leave their homes and will not tolerate the ever-lasting occupation of their historical lands.
It has become clear message that the President pays the highest priority to the situation on the front line and keeps the issues relating to these regions, under the close personal supervision.
President Aliyev signed an order on May 2 to eliminate the damages caused to civilians as a result of the Armenian armed units' intensively shelling the Aghdam and Tartar regions.
Under the presidential order, 3 million manats will be allocated to the Aghdam Region Executive Authorities and the Tartar Region Executive Authorities each from the 2016 Contingency Fund of the President for eliminating the damages caused to civilians.