LAHORE: Under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, the Republic of Azerbaijan succeeded to liberate its illegally occupied territories from Armenia afterwards, which has drastically changed the socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic landscape of South Caucasus. Azerbaijan which has the 75 percent GDP of South Caucasus, and its macro-economy will be further flourished after the regaining of Karabakh and other adjacent areas from illegal occupier Armenia.
While addressing an international webinar titled, “Liberation of Karabakh Region of Azerbaijan from Armenia Occupation: Implementation of the UN Security Council’s Resolutions” jointly hosted by the Center of South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad and the Institute of Legal Studies Lahore Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov showed great respect for soldiers and officers and all the martyrs who fought heroically in the patriotic war and waved the Azerbaijan flag in the liberated lands from Armenia. The envoy highly appreciated the visionary leadership of the President Ilham Aliyev enabling the liberation of illegally occupied territories of Azerbaijan during the famous 44 days Patriotic War.
The envoy shared that Armenia kept 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territories under occupation for almost 30 years due to which 1 million Azerbaijani became refugees and IDPs. Moreover, during these long years, Armenia constantly committed ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in the occupied territories and blatantly violated basic principles & norms of international laws by pursuing state’s policy of illegal settlement across Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.
During his keynote speech the envoy shared human tragedy of Khojaly which he termed as a well-planned genocide attack against peaceful people of Azerbaijan in 1992 and killed 613 innocent civilians, including 106 women and 63 children.
The envoy shed light on the role of the international organizations and platforms like UN Security Council which endorsed principal stance of Azerbaijan about Karabakh and supported peaceful negotiations for conflict resolution with Armenia. However, Armenia has been ignored all the resolutions and decisions of UN and other organizations.
He shared that Armenia categorically ignored the four UN Security Council Resolutions which clearly demanded immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. It did not implement UN Security Council resolutions, and sanctions were not imposed on Armenia for its aggressor policy against Azerbaijan the envoy further added.
The ambassador pinpointed that Azerbaijan tried to resolve the former conflict through peaceful negotiations but Armenia always ignored it and tried to keep the status quo and always committed military provocations during those years.
The envoy rightly showcased Azerbaijan as an active member of the UN which was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2011. He highlighted that Azerbaijan closely cooperated with the main bodies, specialized agencies, and other structures within the UN system. By participating in the work of the UN election bodies, Azerbaijan contributes to the implementation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter he further added.
The envoy shared that as a result of the Patriotic War in 2020, Azerbaijani Army liberated its territories from Armenian occupation within 44 days. Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, armed forces of Azerbaijan liberated Azerbaijani territories from Armenian occupation. Azerbaijan has just implemented UN Security Council resolutions itself by liberating its territories from Armenia’s occupation.
The envoy indicated that tragically during the Armenian occupation, Azerbaijani cities and villages were razed to the ground. All cultural and religious monuments were destroyed, mosques were desecrated and looted. Armenians turned mosques into pigsty during the occupation.
The envoy highlighted that right after the liberation, the Government of Azerbaijan started large-scale restoration and reconstruction works there and the Great Return of former Azerbaijani IDPs and refugees to their land has begun. The National Campaign of resettlement is now being carried out in the newly liberated areas of Karabakh.
To strengthen economic potential of the newly liberated areas, right after the liberation, Azerbaijan started massive reconstruction and restoration works in the liberated areas by allocating more than US$ 7 billion so far. Great Return has already started added by the envoy. Many former Azerbaijani IDPs have returned to the revived Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Lachin and more families are being relocated to their homes. Fuzuli and Zangilan International Airports were built, and Lachin International Airport is underway and will be completed soon. Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, Aghdam, and Zangilan have already become a venue for international events, he further added.
While removing all false and fake propaganda about the most recently locally launched anti-terrorism measures by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan the ambassador showed his government stance that it was started to ensure the provisions of the Joint Trilateral Statement signed on November 10, 2020, to prevent large-scale provocations committed in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, to disarm and withdraw the Armenian armed forces formations from Azerbaijani territories, to neutralize their military infrastructure, to ensure safety of the civilian population returning to the territories liberated from occupation, safety of the civilian workers involved in the reconstruction work, the servicemen and to restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Ambassador called for global harmony and peaceful coexistence with neighbors. The envoy termed the 44-day of Patriotic as one of the most glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijan which ended with the liberation of its occupied lands and the historical triumph of Azerbaijan.
While responding a question the envoy replied that the government desires to have peaceful diplomatic ties with all the regional countries having spirits of mutual respect, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He upheld that trilateral military cooperation among Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Türkiye is getting momentum.
The envoy Khazar maintained that superior military preparedness, tactical readiness, and professional skills of armed forces of Azerbaijan, immense economic stability, sustainability, prosperity and the visionary leadership of Ilham Aliyev played an important and decisive role in the liberation of occupied regions from Armenia.
The envoy Khazar concluded that unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. Azerbaijan is home to many ethnicities. Multiculturalism policy in Azerbaijan is based on principles of mutual respect and traditional coexistence between different ethnic cultures. Azerbaijan regularly organizes the Intercultural Dialogue Forum and the Baku International Humanitarian Forum.
Dr. Fariz Ismailzade, Vice Rector of ADA University while highlighting the strategic importance of the UN Day appreciated Azerbaijan’s strong commitment to extend international cooperation for conflict resolution in South Caucasus. Vice Rector Ismailzade shared salient features of successful foreign policy of Azerbaijan to liberate Karabakh and other regions from Armenia.
Dr Ismailzade showcased positive, productive and participatory role of Azerbaijan in securing peace and stability in South Caucasus and Caspian Sea regions through immense socio-economic integration, trans-regional connectivity, free trade and food & energy cooperation. He was of the opinion that constant vigilance and military preparedness paved the way of splendid victory in the Patriotic War against Armenia.
Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan in his detailed and articulated speech termed conflicting socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic realities in the South Caucasus, Black Sea, Middle East, greater Eurasian region and beyond geared the greater socio-economic, diplomatic and military ties among Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Türkiye covering all aspects of security, development and regional connectivity.
Dr Khan was of the view that no country had the right to interfere in the domestic affairs of Azerbaijan. International law and peace agreement permitted Azerbaijan to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The recently launched military operation was timely and necessary to eradicate rough elements from the soil of Karabakh. It was for peace, prosperity and safety of the local people.
While emphasizing that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan” Dr Khan endorsed Azerbaijan national narrative, narrating that even before its liberalization the right of Azerbaijan on Karabakh territories had has been recognized by the United Nations Security Council which adopted four resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 condemning the use of force against Azerbaijan and the occupation of its territories in 1993. It reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, reconfirmed that the Karabakh region is an integral part of Azerbaijan and demanded the immediate, full and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from all the occupied territories.
Dr Khan supported that most recently launched military operation of the armed forces of Azerbaijan started was as indigenous operation to control anti-state activities, confrontational tendencies, harmful social disturbances and consistorial efforts to change the geographical and political map of Karabakh by rough elements of Armenian community.
Dr Khan lambasted the political support and diplomatic facilitations of the western countries to Armenian false, fake and fabricated propaganda was nothing but invisible ethnic backing against Azerbaijan which also vividly reflected double standards of the so-called civilized world always ignoring historical terrorist hang-over, slaughtering innocent and helpless people of Azerbaijan living in Karabakh for centuries.
DR Khan concluded that Azerbaijan’s better military preparedness, tactical and professional superiority, use of innovative and advanced technologies of warfare, effective and ideal combination of human as well as artificial intelligence mechanism and the visionary leadership of Ilham Aliyev ultimately achieved a miracle in the second war for the liberation of illegally occupied areas of Karabakh from fascist Armenia.
Azerbaijan’s 2nd Patriotic War has further enhanced regional peace and stability. After the successful liberation of occupied areas, Azerbaijan has more strengthened it powerful and central role in Middle Corridor, connectivity, trade, investment and transport. It has now been dubbed an ideal connecting hub. Its role in the further expansion of the Chinese BRI has been further increased showing its economic potential and transport capacity building to gear-up regional peace and prosperity alike.
