BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. The Azerbaijan
Nationwide City Discussion board on the “Sustainable Improvement Targets and the
New City Agenda as engines of post-conflict reconstruction and
rehabilitation” has acquired underway in Aghdam in partnership with the
UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT), the State Committee on
City Planning and Structure of Azerbaijan and with the
organizational assist of the ADA College, Pattern studies.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First
Girl Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the
Discussion board.
The top of state made a speech on the occasion.
Speech of President Ilham Aliyev:
Expensive Government Director of the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-Habitat) Maimunah Mohd Sharif,
Expensive company,
Girls and gents.
Welcome to Aghdam. I’m very glad that we organized Azerbaijan
Nationwide City Discussion board right here within the place the place Aghdam metropolis as soon as was
located. Now you may see that nothing left from what was once, a
metropolis vigorous. It was destroyed throughout the occasions of occupation.
I’d like additionally to precise gratitude to our company from totally different
international locations. We’ve representatives of greater than forty international locations
attending our Discussion board for being with us, for coming right here to see what
has occurred to the largest metropolis in Karabakh area which Aghdam
was once and to see what we’re doing and what we’re planning to
do within the coming years to return former IDPs to their homeland.
Aghdam was as I stated already destroyed throughout the years of
occupation. It was not destroyed throughout the first Karabakh warfare. It
was destroyed after for nearly 30 years, stone by stone. All of the
buildings have been ruined and dismantled. Stones have been stolen
and offered out. You might even see the one half destroyed constructing was a
constructing of Juma Mosque, however the cause why it was not destroyed
together with different mosques which Armenians destroyed within the former
occupied territories was that they had been utilizing the minarets for
commentary to see potential motion of Azerbaijani armed forces.
However we’ve video and picture evidences of desecration of Aghdam
Mosque, the place Armenians saved pigs and cows within the mosque. Whole 65
out of 67 mosques which existed on the liberated territories had been
completely destroyed. Two of them, one right here and one in Shusha had been
half destroyed and desecrated. What you see right here in Aghdam you may
see in each single village of Karabakh space. I do know that our
company got here right here by aircraft to newly-built Fuzuli Airport. So, Fuzuli
metropolis is completely destroyed, not a single constructing, Jabrayil is the
identical. Qubadli, Zangilan are the identical. The one locations the place not all
the buildings have been destroyed had been Shusha, Lachin and partly
Kalbajar. However the cause for that was that the Armenian state was
conducting a coverage of unlawful settlement of Armenians from
totally different international locations to decide on the occupied territories and this
is taken into account to be a brutal violation of worldwide regulation and
Geneva conventions. So now, we face an incredible problem to
return as quickly as potential former refugees and IDPs to their
homeland. However one of many largest issues aside from a
large-scale reconstruction program are landmines. For the reason that warfare
ended two years in the past, virtually two years in the past, we’ve virtually 250
Azerbaijanis who’ve been killed or significantly injured consequently
of landmine explosions. Sadly, the determine is rising each
week. Simply final week we had two killed and three significantly injured.
Armenians have planted multiple million mines throughout the occasions
of occupation. And this coverage of terror in opposition to Azerbaijan and the
Azerbaijanis continues.
Comparatively not too long ago we’ve found and neutralized greater than
1.400 landmines which have been planted in Lachin district by
Armenian armed forces within the interval after the second Karabakh warfare
ended. So, aggression in opposition to Azerbaijan, terror in opposition to Azerbaijan
continues. Our nation suffered a severe humanitarian disaster.
As a result of because of Armenian aggression and occupation greater than
a million Azerbaijanis had been completely ethnically cleansed from
their place of birth in Karabakh, in Zangazur and in addition in at this time’s
Armenia. And when it occurred the inhabitants of Azerbaijan was much less
than eight million folks and, are you able to think about, a million turned
refugees and IDPs. And we’re very grateful to worldwide
organizations particularly, establishments of the United Nations, for
assist to our refugees and IDPs particularly within the early years of
independence after we wanted the assist significantly. Outcomes of the
Armenian occupation and aggression is now seen by everybody who
visits the liberated territories and because the second Karabakh warfare
ended there have been hundreds of international guests, journalists,
politicians, representatives of civil society who got here right here and noticed
it with their very own eyes. The scope of Armenian barbarism and
vandalism really is so spectacular in order that many individuals who come to
this a part of Azerbaijan actually really feel completely exhausted morally.
And you’ll think about the emotions of us, of Azerbaijanis and
particularly those that used to reside in Aghdam, in Fuzuli in different
a part of Azerbaijan which was below occupation after they come right here.
They can’t even discover the place the place their home was located.
As a result of all the pieces is completely destroyed. Armenia conducting the
coverage of occupation had principal goal as to alter de facto
scenario on the bottom, and to make then negotiation course of with
Azerbaijan countless. That was the explanation why negotiations lasted for
28 years, with none outcomes. The end result was really zero.
Although the main worldwide organizations such
because the United Nations, the OSCE and others adopted resolutions,
selections demanding quick and unconditional withdrawal of
Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories, significantly 4 UN
Safety Council resolutions which remained on paper for nearly 30
years. And regardless of all our appeals to impose sanctions on Armenia
we didn’t succeed. So, worldwide group determined in a technique to
flip a blind eye on the humanitarian disaster of Azerbaijani
folks. Essentially the most regrettable is that the construction which had a
mandate from the OSCE, the so-called Minsk Group and its co-chairs
visited occupied territories many occasions, witnessed the brutal
devastation of all of the cities and villages, witnessed unlawful
settlement of Armenians on our lands, however didn’t condemn Armenia.
All through 28 years of their so-called exercise there was not a
single phrase of condemnation of Armenia by them. After all, now when
we see some efforts to revitalize this Minsk Group, we, after all,
can’t be supportive to that. As a result of they did nothing to implement
their mandate. The one factor they did really to a sure
diploma, they tried to legitimize the Armenian aggression. They
tried to create a stability between aggressor and the sufferer of
aggression.
Due to this fact, now, when Azerbaijan itself restored worldwide
regulation, applied UN Safety Council resolutions, used UN Constitution,
significantly the paragraph which talks concerning the self-defense, and
restored our nationwide dignity, we don’t want another mediation.
We made a proposal quickly after the second Karabakh warfare ended.
Regardless of all what you see in Aghdam and what anybody can see within the
territory of greater than 10.000 sq. kms completely destroyed by
Armenians, regardless of the human sufferings of our folks we proposed
peace to Armenia. We introduced publicly 5 fundamental ideas of
worldwide regulation which must be the idea for peace settlement,
significantly mutual recognition of territorial integrity of
international locations, chorus from territorial claims sooner or later, chorus
from use of pressure or menace of use of pressure, delimitation of state
border and opening of communications. All this are literally the
fundamental ideas of worldwide regulation, and I believe peace agreements
or any form of settlement between international locations which making an attempt to
normalize their relations should be primarily based on that. With respect to
Armenian inhabitants who nonetheless lives in Karabakh area of
Azerbaijan, are our residents and we aren’t going to debate how we
go now manage their life on our territory with any worldwide
participant. Karabakh is Azerbaijan. The Second Karabakh Conflict proved it
on the bottom. Through the occasions of occupation no nation within the
world, together with Armenia acknowledged this synthetic construction.
Due to this fact, points associated to our inner affairs we by no means talk about
with worldwide establishments or with any nation regardless the
measurement and potential of that nation. We’ve sure optimism with
respect to the peace course of, as a result of only recently a number of days
in the past the assembly of international ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia,
first assembly of that sort, significantly with agenda of preparation
of draft of peace settlement. We hope that it’ll not take lengthy
time. We all know the ways which Armenians often use after they
don’t need to come to an settlement like negotiations on Karabakh
battle for 28 years. If that continues then we can have no
peace. If it is a selection of Armenia that signifies that they are going to
make one other severe mistake. They underestimated us, they
underestimated our will, the desire of individuals of Azerbaijan, the
potential of Azerbaijan. They needed to pay the value for that. The
warfare which occurred two years in the past, was carried out on the territory of
Azerbaijan. So, this as soon as once more proves our place and
demonstrates that regardless of that, regardless of the struggling of greater than
one million of our countrymen, we need to put an finish to hostility,
mutual hatred, and we need to open a brand new web page of peace. Whether or not we
will succeed or not, we are going to see. I’m not certain however not less than we’re
shifting in that route. On the identical time we’ve hopes that two
corresponding commissions on border delimitation, the Azerbaijani
and Armenian commissions is not going to lose time both, and to work
actively on defining the border between two international locations which
really don’t exist. Through the occasions of occupation which lasted
for nearly 30 years, that border was completely below the Armenian
management. So, when occupation ended, we got here to the border which we
think about to be the border and settled there. Due to this fact, to be able to
outline this border which is greater than 400 kms, after all, we’d like
to have very energetic work primarily based on historic paperwork, primarily based on
historic maps, and primarily based on worldwide observe and sure
methodology.
So, this course of is shifting however once more how profitable will probably be,
it’s troublesome to say. So, that is really what occurred throughout
the final time period. Now we face the brand new challenges however
very nice challenges to rebuild Karabakh and Jap Zangazur,
to return folks, to return life and to create significantly better
situations for former refugees and IDPs which exist wherever else
in Azerbaijan. And I’m certain that these folks deserve that. They
lived in troublesome situations for a few years although
we resettled greater than 300 thousand IDPs offering them with new
residences and flats. And through quite a few conferences with them when
we had been inaugurating this new housing initiatives they had been expressing
gratitude for that however on the identical time saying that we wish you to
return us again. And I promised them on a regular basis that I’ll do it
and I’m very proud that we managed to do. And already this system
of Massive Return have began. Comparatively not too long ago, this Could the primary
village in Zangilan area was already constructed and the primary IDPs are
already again. And I’m actually very proud, I’m certain all of the folks
of Azerbaijan, that not solely those that used to reside there are going
again, but in addition their kids, their grandchildren. This September
the college in Zangilan opened and the younger Zangilanis are already
beginning college. They’ve by no means seen that land. As a result of they had been
born after occupation but it surely exhibits that the folks of Azerbaijan
are strongly dedicated to their roots, to their place of birth. And
actually it’s a supply of nationwide pleasure that primarily based on the survey
which we carried out amongst former IDPs with the query ‘are they
going to return or not’ to ensure that us to know what must be the
scale of housing undertaking, absolute majority responded that they
need to return even those that had by no means seen these lands. So, this
after all creates a really particular ambiance in our society and the
feeling of nationwide pleasure, the sensation of victory, the sensation of
restoration of justice, restoration of dignity of the folks. These
emotions can’t be measured by any scale. That is one thing which
you must really feel. We really feel it and we’re completely happy about that and now
what we’re doing right here in Aghdam, in different liberated territories is
that we concentrated and mobilized all our potential to be able to
return the previous IDPs as quickly as potential. Massive-scale
infrastructure initiatives are underway. You’ve gotten seen Fuzuli
Worldwide Airport which was inbuilt 8 months. This month we
are planning to inaugurate Zangilan Worldwide Airport and in
2025 Worldwide Airport in Lachin. The railroad from Barda to
Aghdam can be operational subsequent 12 months. Yesterday I laid down the
basis of the brand new railway station. 1000’s of kilometers of
highways and hundreds of kilometers of village roads are being
constructed now. In response to the funding plan which has been
already authorized within the liberated territories of Karabakh and
Jap Zangazur there can be 33 tunnels with the whole lengths of
greater than 50 kilometres. There can be 84 bridges with the size
of 12 km. These are solely a part of what we at the moment are doing. We totally
restored the electrical provide to all of the liberated areas and
hopefully quickly in Jabrayil we are going to begin the development of the
solar energy plant capability of 230 megawatt.
Typically, we’ve evaluated the potential of renewable power
within the liberated territories and preliminary evaluation present its
virtually 10.000 megawatt. We already inaugurated a number of hydro energy
stations and whole capability of hydro energy can be greater than 500
megawatt, and the remainder would be the photo voltaic and wind. This space will
not solely accumulate its individuals who needed to depart in numerous elements
of Azerbaijan throughout the years of occupation, however on the identical time
can be a driving pressure for Azerbaijan’s financial system sooner or later. We
have large water sources right here, which we’ve been disadvantaged of
throughout the occasions of occupation, as a result of Armenians didn’t solely
occupy our cities, they occupied our sources. There have been
unlawful mining, criminality of slicing us from water. We had been
not in a position to irrigate hundred hundreds hectares of land. So, now we
are again to our rivers. We’re again to our soil, and all of the grasp
plans of the cities have already been ready by main
worldwide firms and authorized. So, we already began right here
in Aghdam a number of housing initiatives. I used to be right here was yesterday on the
groundbreaking ceremony of three villages, Khidirli, Kangarli,
Sarjilai. A number of thousand folks will reside in these villages
most in two years. Within the metropolis of Aghdam we’re already constructing
the college for nearly one thousand kids which can be prepared
perhaps this 12 months, perhaps subsequent 12 months, hospital and several other housing
initiatives. And that is solely Aghdam the identical is kind of goes
in Fuzuli, in Qubadli in Zangilan. Within the metropolis of Lachin, the place we
returned simply two months in the past, we plan to revive it by the top of
subsequent 12 months. As a result of as I stated there was unlawful settlement there.
So, not all of the buildings have been knocked down. We already despatched a
group of specialists there. So, we are going to rebuilt Karabakh and
Zangazur. We’ve little question about that. Irrespective of how costly and
pricey will probably be, that is our nationwide concept. Our nationwide concept
earlier than was to return to our lands to revive justice and to revive
our territorial integrity. All of the folks of Azerbaijan united and
had been making ready themselves for that. And younger era which
sacrificed their lives of just about three thousand victims we had
throughout the warfare, and hundreds of those that celebrated our victory,
that is actually fashionable Azerbaijan. That is new Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan now which is free from that label of being occupied now
is simply elevating and can, I’m certain, be probably the most profitable
international locations not solely within the area. As soon as once more, pricey buddies, girls
and gents, thanks for being with us. This discussion board for us is
actually crucial. I’m grateful to Government Director of UN
Habitat. She visited us six months in the past, we had an excellent assembly
along with her. And afterwards we had been invited to World City Discussion board in
Poland and our representatives participated. Now we manage
Nationwide City Discussion board and I’m grateful to UN consultant for
being with us, to the mayors and deputy mayors and representatives
from all of the international locations who’re along with us. So, that is
really the start of worldwide, I’d say, ties of
Aghdam. We hope that Aghdam and lots of cities of the world will
turn into sister cities. You already know Aghdam throughout the Soviet occasions was
the largest metropolis in Karabakh, a metropolis vigorous. Everyone in
Azerbaijan is aware of it. After we liberated the territories and international
consultants, journalists got here right here, they gave a number of names to Aghdam.
One was sufferer of Urbicide, which is completely appropriate and different
was “ghost metropolis”, additionally completely appropriate, and in addition it was named
“Hiroshima of the Caucasus”. However in contrast to Hiroshima the devastation
and demolition was not because of atomic bomb. But it surely was as a
results of vandalism and barbarism of our neighbors. However now we’re
again, we got here again by pressure. We got here again utilizing worldwide regulation
norms and we got here again to reside right here and to reside right here perpetually. Thank
you.
