The head of state noted that his initiative to establish a direct link between the defense ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia is also working.

“So, now this channel of communications is already efficient. So, this clearly demonstrates the willingness and readiness of the European Commission to facilitate in the creation of a stable environment in the Southern Caucasus, and in the future to facilitate the establishment of the trilateral format of interaction among the three Southern Caucasus countries. Azerbaijan’s position is absolutely open and clear. We want peace, we don’t want war. We won the war, and we are the winner and this reality should be taken into account,” he said.

President Aliyev once again emphasized that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been resolved.

“There is no return to any kind of discussions about the so-called status of Nagorno-Karabakh or something of that. We resolved it ourselves by force and by political means. We implemented the UN Security Council resolutions unilaterally after 27 years as they have been adopted. This is a new reality, which must be taken into account by Armenia in the first place because as far as this is the development of the post-war situation, the main international actors already accepted the new reality and are trying to build the future based on this new reality. Armenia should refrain from any kind of hostile actions against Azerbaijan, should refrain from territorial claims to Azerbaijan because I said a couple of times that we have much more historical grounds to have territorial claims to Armenia,” he said.

The Azerbaijan leader urged Armenia to work on a peace agreement and to comply with the normal behavior in the 21st century.

“We are neighbors anyway. None of us is going to fly away to another planet. Therefore, we must learn to live side by side and slowly, step by step preparing grounds for normalization of relations, including people to people contact. We openly said that we are ready for that. But so far, we don’t receive any positive signs from Armenia. It seems to me that in Armenia's internal situation and, as I said, before the frustration and, mildly speaking, disappointment after they lost in the war, created a kind of psychological trauma in their society because of exaggerated expectations and unrealistic assessment of the military and political potential. Therefore, for the government of Armenia, it’s important to lead the process of normalization. Not to be behind the public opinion which was based on the cultivation of hatred against Azerbaijanis,” the head of state added.

He said that to lead the public opinion, to make very important steps to persuade the people that the only way for Armenia to develop is to normalize relations with Azerbaijan, to normalize the relations with Turkey, to become a neighbor, a normal neighbor not a hostile neighbor, and to refrain from territorial claims.

“So, I think that if this formula is accepted by the Armenian government and political elite, we have a chance for progress. As far as we are concerned, our position is straightforward. I several times articulated that publicly. And once again, I am saying that we want peace, we want stability, security and a prosperous future for the Caucasus,” President Aliyev concluded.

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