Chronicles of Victory (November 9, 2020): Azerbaijani president interviewed by BBC News (PHOTO/VIDEO)

Ezonn TV «Trend» mənbəsinə istinadən xəbər verir. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 9. The Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist", on September 27, 2020, in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline. The 44-day second Karabakh war ended with the liberation of Azerbaijan’s territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation and the restoration of territorial integrity. On November 6, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by BBC News. -President Aliyev, thank you for your time for speaking to us on BBC News. Do you intend to fight for every square inch of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding seven territories? -Our position was very clear from the very beginning. We are ready and are still ready to stop any time when the Armenian side will commit itself to the liberation of the occupied territories. I am saying this from the very beginning of the war that if the Armenian prime minister publicly will make a commitment that they will liberate the occupied territories we will stop. But so far it’s already forty days and there is no sign of him to say this. -So, that means you will be fighting to the finish. -We will fight until the end if Armenia does not make a commitment that they will withdraw from occupied territories. I think Armenia is making a big mistake because if they listened to us from the very beginning the war would have stopped a long time ago, and we would have been already on the negotiation table. -But with respect Mr. President, you are delivering an ultimatum. You are saying they have to agree to give up all of this territory, and then there can be talks. That’s a very big precondition for talks. -No, not exactly, because what I am saying is based on the basic principles and the basic principles are very clear with respect to the liberation of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. It is a very clear message to Armenia and unfortunately, Armenia did not agree to the basic principles which have been elaborated by the Minsk Group co-chairs and the previous Armenian leadership. These basic principles say that in the first stage they have to liberate five occupied territories, at the second stage-two. But four out of the five have already been liberated. Therefore, if they do it when they will liberate part of Aghdam, when they will liberate Kalbajar and Lachin, we will stop. -So, just to be clear, President, because these locations are not familiar to our international audience. Are you saying that if the Armenian leadership agrees to vacate the territories outside of Nagorno-Karabakh you will stop, you will not fight on? -Exactly. That is the position which I articulated many times, at the same time, this is not the whole issue on the negotiation table. Of course, after that, we will work on the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Nagorno-Karabakh. Because before the war in the 1990s, there have been 40,000 Azerbaijanis living in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the percentage of the Azerbaijani population was 25 percent. So, they expelled them all, and after that, committed ethnic cleansing, and then, announced independence. -But the fear is, that if you take control of Nagorno-Karabakh by force, that you may do exactly the same. There are very strong fears being expressed by Armenia that there will be the ethnic cleansing of their people. -These are groundless accusations. First, if Armenia is really concerned about that, why they do not agree to the basic principles? Because if the basic principles are confirmed, and Armenia will make a commitment which I already demand from them for many times, then everything will stop. -So, you are not asking them to withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh. You are asking only for the territories alongside. -We ask and we demand the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions which were adopted back in 1993, which demanded the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories. With respect to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, they will continue to live there. They are our citizens, and I on many occasions expressed this position. -Well, with respect President Aliyev, you are saying that the Armenians will consider to live there as your citizens. You have very recently said and I am quoting you here: “If they do not leave we will chase them like dogs.” Now, that’s hardly the kind of statement that would make people feel safe. -No. Please be accurate with my statements. What I said, I meant those who continue to occupy our territories, I meant Armenian military-political leadership, I meant the so-called “authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh”, this criminal junta which has already, by the way, run away. And I got information that the so-called “leader of Nagorno-Karabakh” is already in Yerevan. So, I meant them, I didn’t mean Armenian people. -So, are you saying that you will give an absolute guarantee that there will be no ethnic cleansing of Armenian citizens in Nagorno-Karabakh?