Khankendi, July 20, 2025 – The Europe Today: On July 19, a meeting was held in Khankendi between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and participants of the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, held under the theme “Digital Pathways: Strengthening Information and Media Resilience in the Age of AI.”
President Ilham Aliyev answered questions from the Forum participants.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon, Bureau Chief, Middle East at Euronews: Your Excellency Mr. President,
Ladies and gentlemen, and esteemed guests,
Welcome to the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum. We’re delighted to see you here in Khankendi, part of the cultural heart of Azerbaijan. We are deeply honored to host esteemed media professionals, thought leaders, and distinguished guests from around the world. Thank you for being here. This forum stands as a testament to the power of dialogue, transparency, and global cooperation in an ever-evolving media landscape.
We have 140 guests from 52 countries, representing 30 news agencies and 80 media entities. This year’s forum is held under the title “Digital Pathways: Strengthening Information and Media Resilience in the Age of AI.” Discussions will focus on the challenges and opportunities facing modern media, the influence of digital transformation, and the role of independent journalism in promoting peace, development, and mutual understanding.
It is now my absolute honor to hand over to His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much, Jane. Thank you.
I would like to welcome all our guests to Karabakh and express my gratitude for being with us. This is already the third time that this important gathering takes place in Karabakh. The Shusha Media Forum has already become a tradition, and I hope that this tradition will continue. As time passes, we see more guests and broader geographical coverage. This once again shows that there is a strong need for open discussions in a friendly atmosphere on the most important topics — not only those on the media community’s agenda, but also issues of the global agenda. The situation in the world changes so quickly. So, if we look back at last year’s forum in Shusha, we can see many changes in our region and the world.
Of course, the media is the first to rush to the scene — to report the story, to cover the event, and to provide feedback. I’m very glad that we have such a large gathering here in Khankendi. We decided to hold today’s meeting here — in this newly built Congress Hall, located on Victory Square in Khankendi.
I’m sure it will also be interesting for our guests to see what has been accomplished in terms of reconstruction and the return of people who were forcefully displaced from these areas more than 30 years ago. So, I will now conclude my remarks to leave more room for discussion. Once again, thank you for being with us today.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Well, Mr. President, we have lots of questions for you. Everyone has come prepared, so let’s kick things off straight away and get down to business. So our first question is from Mr. Klaus Peter Ralf Jurgens, Director of Economyfirst Limited, London.
Klaus Peter Ralf Jurgens: Thank you very much. Your Excellency President.
I’m glad to be back. Thank you for the invitation. It’s difficult to have the first question, so I would like to briefly return to a topic we discussed last year. We spoke a lot about COP29. I think it was a huge success. My point is: according to you, now that we are halfway between one and the next, with the next one almost starting, how would you describe the legacy of COP29? Would it be an ongoing set of policies for Azerbaijan? And how would you explain to other countries that COP29 was special — not just that we do 30, 31, 32 and nothing happens? So your personal impression would be highly appreciated. How do you see the legacy? Thank you very much.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. Thank you very much. That was really the event of the year for the country — last year, when we hosted this important climate conference with the participation of 197 countries. There was a very large audience from all over the world. There were 77,000 registered participants — as I said, from almost 200 countries. Among them were 70 heads of state and government. So, that clearly demonstrated, first, the importance of this topic. Also, many people who came to Baku visited Azerbaijan for the first time. So, for them, I think it was an interesting discovery. As far as our contribution to the global climate agenda is concerned, I would say that Azerbaijan is an ecologically friendly country. We do not use coal or fuel oil to produce electricity. We rely only on hydropower and natural gas, and more recently, on solar energy.
By the way, our green agenda is very ambitious. By 2030, based on already signed investment contracts, we will have a minimum of six gigawatts of green energy, including solar, wind, and hydro. Hydro is primarily produced here in this area — in Karabakh and East Zangezur. We have already inaugurated more than 30 small hydropower stations with a total capacity of 280 megawatts. So, really, our green agenda is very ambitious. At the same time, my message — and the message of Azerbaijan as the host country — was that we should approach this issue from a realistic and pragmatic point of view. We all understand that we need to save the planet, but probably those who contribute most to environmental disaster should bear that burden.
Small Island Developing States — those for whom climate change is an existential threat — need strong support. That is what we were planning and trying to provide. We held a special session on Small Island Developing States. Azerbaijan allocated 10 million US dollars to a special fund to address climate change in less developed countries. But our point of view is that you cannot ignore fossil fuels. Because without fossil fuels, in the foreseeable future, the world cannot function. Economies cannot function, planes cannot fly, and everything would come to a halt. So, we must approach this from a realistic point of view.
We are implementing a green transition program. But at the same time, we understand that without oil and gas, it will not be possible to plan development, plan the future, or provide necessary conditions for our citizens. It was a difficult time for us and involved difficult discussions, but our chairmanship, I believe, provided good understanding. We saw our role as a kind of bridge between the Global South and the Global North. I think we managed to achieve that.
One of the important achievements of COP29 was that we managed to create a constructive atmosphere and, with our personal contribution, achieved agreement on Article 6 regarding the functioning of carbon markets — an issue that had been under discussion for at least the last 10 years. That is a very important and tangible result of COP29. Another important result, in our view, is that we managed to agree on increasing the funding to tackle climate change — from 100 billion US dollars, which was the figure prior to COP29, to 300 billion US dollars. We know that some countries are not satisfied with that, but we must be fair: we managed to triple the funding. And, of course, those who will take over responsibility after us will have to do their part to increase this funding. These and many other outcomes will remain as our legacy. We launched more than a dozen initiatives, and the absolute majority of countries joined them. I think there were only two countries that did not join any of our initiatives, but that was purely for political reasons — not because the initiatives lacked substance. Now, the question is what will happen in the future — especially considering the position of the US administration with respect to climate change. Of course, the United States, as a global leader, is both the biggest contributor to climate change and the biggest investor. Its role, of course, cannot be underestimated. So, a lot will depend on that. Therefore, all of us are looking with great hope — and also with a certain level of concern — to COP30, which will take place at the end of this year.
Again, as far as Azerbaijan is concerned, we are not a major contributor to carbon emissions, as you can imagine, but our green agenda and everything we are doing to build bridges and create understanding between different actors was duly appreciated by the United Nations and many international stakeholders. So again, as far as we are concerned, we will continue to be committed to our green agenda. But how COP30, 31, and 32 will perform — that, of course, is an open question.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you, Klaus Peter, for your question. We’re going to move swiftly on to our front row here. We have Professor Sherzodkhon Kudratkhuja, Chairman of the Board of the National Media Association of Uzbekistan and Rector of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications in Uzbekistan.
Sherzodkhon Kudratkhuja: Hello, dear Mr. President. First of all, please allow me to congratulate you on the successful hosting of the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization, which was held in Khankendi for the first time on July 4 at a very high level. We all saw it. Also, the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the esteemed Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, to Azerbaijan was very successful. We, journalists, have a lot of impressions. We have been coming here for three years, but it is our first time in Khankendi.
I have several questions. Let me ask the first question: I believe that a historic meeting took place in Abu Dhabi last week between you and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Why is this important? Why is this extremely important? Because in such a difficult time during the global turmoil, your two countries have demonstrated to the world that it is better to be friends. And this is a very good example for today. I would like to ask you: the issue of the Zangezur corridor was raised among many other questions. I know that this corridor is very important first of all for Azerbaijan, and also for Armenia and for the entire large Caspian region. But I would like you to dwell on how important it is for the larger Turkic world, what prospects it opens up for it. Because we did not have such a bridge, but now we will be connected, Inshallah. This is very interesting. I was here last year too, but unfortunately I could not ask a question. I have a very personal question for you. This is my third time in Karabakh. While we were driving here, we noticed again and again – everything breathes eternity, every stone, every mountain says the prayer, every tree says thank you. Because it happened. And here I noticed that many changes have occurred in three years: the roads are excellent, there is not a single road bump, everywhere there is a lot of modern construction, many mosques have been renovated. But I was pleased to see that churches are also undergoing restoration. This shows the whole world your tolerance, your patience and your nobility. Therefore, I want to say that our Almighty probably likes this too. And I would like to ask you: Uzbekistan highly values and remembers the great President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev very well. They were friends with our Sharaf Rashidovich Rashidov. Every person in Uzbekistan knows this. I have such a question, which is a bit personal. Unfortunately, he did not live to see today’s Karabakh. He could not see this, although he went through a very difficult path. But, let’s say, if it were the will of the Almighty and he had a chance to see this today after 2023, what would he say not to the President of Azerbaijan, not to the President, I repeat, but to the son of the great Azerbaijani people? What would be his vision and his mood today? Thank you.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank you very much for your kind words about our country, about Karabakh, and about what we are doing here. The support of our brothers from Uzbekistan has always been very valuable to us. And as you know, the first gift for the restoration of Karabakh was made by Uzbekistan. On the initiative of the esteemed President Shavkat Miromonovich, a school for 960 students was built in the city of Fuzuli, and it was named after the great son of the Uzbek people, Mirzo Ulugbek. Shavkat Miromonovich and I inaugurated that school in the city of Fuzuli. I was there in Fuzuli just a couple of days ago again. I enquired, and I think that more than 500 children are already studying there. Considering that the process of returning former refugees to Fuzuli is still at an early stage, i.e. this is the number of children who are already studying there. We appreciate this very much, it was a sincere fraternal gesture on the part of the President of Uzbekistan, his assistance to Azerbaijan in the restoration of our territories. And as you noted, the Summit of Heads of State of the Economic Cooperation Organization was already held here in Khankendi. It was held in this very building, in the new congress center. We held the Summit right in this very room. This is tremendously symbolic. Because it means that life is returning here, including Khankendi. And we regard the participation of eight heads of state and government of the organization’s member countries, as well as other countries represented at a high level, as a sign of support for Azerbaijan, for what we have done by regaining our lands and for what we are doing now, bringing what was destroyed back to life.
By the way, I have to say that during the occupation, the separatists constructed a building on this very site, and they called it the “parliament.” Well, during one of my first visits here we made a decision, which I think was absolutely correct, to knock down this devil’s lair. And in its place, we have built such a beautiful congress hall, which receives heads of state. And a hotel is being under construction nearby, which was there in Soviet times but was also destroyed during the years of occupation. The square in front of the congress center is now called Victory Square. The building of the former regional committee of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, which was the center of separatism, will now house the Victory Museum. Construction is currently underway there.
As far as the Zangezur corridor is concerned, this artery will certainly connect many countries. And when we talk about the need to carry out transportation via this railway or motorway, we not only talk about connecting the main part of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. We are also talking about an international transit corridor. We are very actively investing in transport and logistical infrastructure. In recent years, billions of dollars have been invested, the largest international trade port on the Caspian Sea has been built, and we are expanding it now, increasing its cargo capacity to 25 million tons. A railway has been built connecting Azerbaijan with Türkiye through Georgia. The volume of transit transportation through the territory of Azerbaijan is increasing as a result of the fact that there is modern infrastructure. There is also a process of digitalization, customs administration is being simplified. This is also due to geopolitical changes in our region, when other transit routes are becoming more problematic. Therefore, taking all this into account, we estimate the potential of the Zangezur corridor in the initial stage at 15 million tons of cargo. We are almost completing the construction of the railway to the junction of our border with Armenia and Iran, and, probably, in less than a year, maybe even in the spring of next year, the Azerbaijani section of this railway will be completed.
As for the Armenian section of this railway, by the way, this railway was an integral part of the Azerbaijani railway in Soviet times and did not belong to the Armenian railway due to the fact that it has no railway connection with the rest of the railway network of Armenia. This line connects Azerbaijan through Armenia with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and then it went to the territory of Iran with access to the Persian Gulf. That is, with the implementation of the Zangezur corridor, we will essentially open another direction of the North-South corridor. Not only what everyone is talking about: from Russia through Azerbaijan, Iran to Rasht, but also through East Zangezur and other parts of the Zangezur region to Iran, and then to Türkiye. Therefore, huge prospects are opening up for increasing the flow of cargo. During the visit of the President of Uzbekistan, we discussed the fact that we must increase the volume of cargo transportation. Today, the growth of cargo transportation from China through Azerbaijan is growing rapidly. At the same time, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan railway is under construction, again with access to the Caspian Sea. In other words, you see what large flows are already going and will go in our direction. Therefore, we must be ready not only to receive and process cargo in the port of Baku, but also to send them along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway through Georgia to Türkiye and further – to Mediterranean ports and through Zangezur, which will also be a major transport route. But, unfortunately, no work has been done on the Armenian side in the last five years, as this issue is deliberately removed from the agenda. But under such circumstances, the chances for Armenia to ever become a transit country are close to zero. If they continue to block this process, I think that they will find themselves not only in transport isolation, which they already are in today, but also in political isolation to a certain extent.
As for what my father would have told me, I certainly cannot know that. But I can guess. I think you can guess too. This is probably a largely rhetorical question. And for me, fulfilling my father’s will, as well as the will of those who were expelled from these lands and passed away without ever seeing this triumph of justice, was a great honor and a source of pride. And I have lived with this feeling of pride for the past five years, Inshallah, both me and all the people of Azerbaijan will live with this feeling until the end.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. Now, next we’re going to move over to Professor Paolo Liebl von Schirach, who is the President of the Global Policy Institute and a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bay Atlantic University, Washington, DC.
Paolo Liebl von Schirach: Mr. President, it’s great to see you again, and I really appreciate being included in this event for the third time. I’m honored. I don’t think the symbolic meaning of having this meeting with you, Your Excellency, in this very place is lost on anyone. It signals — hopefully — the end of a very tortured and complicated story that everyone here is aware of. That said, on another occasion, I remember you spoke very eloquently and passionately about your vision. You mentioned some aspects of it just now while answering the previous question — the growth of the region, not just your country, but the region as a whole, and how it can serve as a linchpin between Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, with all the great opportunities for creating the necessary infrastructure. You touched on several elements again today. My question to you is: could you elaborate on the vectors you believe are most salient and significant in driving development in your country and the wider region — particularly the role of foreign direct investment in all this? I remember you spoke about this on a previous occasion. Some time has passed, and I know your government remains very active in these matters. How do you currently view the promotion of foreign investment in your country? Where do you see the most promising areas — both in terms of sectors that can be developed, and in terms of the countries or partners you see as the most likely and, shall we say, reliable contributors? Thank you, sir.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. With respect to our domestic agenda, it is pretty clear how Azerbaijan is going to continue its development. Of course, the main priority is a sector not related to fossil fuels — primarily the IT sector. We are now actively working with international companies on AI and issues related to the green agenda. But with respect to regional development and regional cooperation, connectivity is the priority. And I think the countries of the region are quite strongly united in understanding that this is the way forward. And this is not only about transit. Because sometimes, when we talk about corridors or railroads, some may think it’s just about transit and transit fees. No — transit fees are important, but they are not something that will make your country stronger. The most important thing is to build capacity along the route — to attract foreign investments in sectors that can generate growth in the coming years. And for this particular reason, we need several basic prerequisites. First: stability and security. And the broader region actually enjoys a situation where the countries of Central Asia to the east, and now the South Caucasus to the west, are quite stable. Especially after the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, I think the prospects for stability, security, and development are broader than ever before. So, this is a major factor for the promotion of connectivity. The second important factor is good relations with your neighbors. Because without that, you cannot become a transit country. And you must have good relations not only with your neighbors but also with the neighbors of your neighbors. For that, you need very proactive diplomacy and a good image as a reliable partner. What we have tried to do over the last decades is to build confidence — so that we can demonstrate that this country is a reliable partner, and that our word has the same value as our signature. So far, that has been the case.
With respect to connectivity, the first thing we can talk about is the Middle Corridor, which today unites a broad geography of countries. I mentioned just some of them. But it stretches from the East to Western Europe, and this will bring more understanding between different actors and different regions. We still need more understanding.
And coming back to the question regarding COP29 — one of my impressions was that there is a lack of confidence between developed and developing countries. Each of them has their own reasons to believe they are right. But when confidence is absent, and when there is a high level of mistrust, I think it becomes difficult to achieve the goals. So: security, stability, a very pragmatic approach to national interests, and good, constructive relations with neighbors.
With respect to the regional agenda, I would also mention green energy projects. Today, not only in Azerbaijan but also in the countries of Central Asia, there are huge investments in solar and wind energy power stations. During COP29 last November in Baku, the Presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan signed an agreement to build a subsea green energy cable under the Caspian Sea to connect the future green energy of Central Asia with Azerbaijan’s infrastructure. Prior to that, a couple of years earlier, Azerbaijan, together with Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, also signed a document on the construction of a green energy cable under the Black Sea. So you can see that this connectivity today goes beyond the region of the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Europe — it unites them. And the meeting point, I would say, is Azerbaijan — because you cannot change geography, whether you like it or not. But geography alone does not guarantee security, safety, or progress. You have to use your geography for good purposes. We can already foresee — based on what has been signed between us and the European countries, and the countries of Central Asia — that Azerbaijan will become a kind of hub for green energy transmission, production, and distribution, with very big potential to grow and become even more global than it is today.
With respect to traditional energy infrastructure projects, we have actually achieved all that we planned. Yes, we know that Europe now needs more gas from Azerbaijan, and we are ready — we are actually increasing the supply of natural gas to Europe. In 2021, it was 8 billion cubic meters; now it is 13 billion. That’s half of our overall gas export. But for additional volumes, there must again be a pragmatic approach in European institutions.
Regarding the green agenda, when European banks no longer finance fossil fuel projects — for example, the EIB has completely stopped, and the EBRD has almost stopped — under these circumstances, there is no way to attract funds to expand our capacity. Today, the Southern Gas Corridor operates at full capacity. So, in order to reach new destinations, we are using different interconnectors — but the main pipeline is fully packed. To expand it, we need funds. We need borrowed money. So, I think that European institutions should consider this situation and revise their policies so that funding can be attracted. And under these circumstances, what today seems like a done deal can actually grow. So, definitely, for various reasons, the need for gas from Azerbaijan in Europe will remain — and it will grow. The need for green energy from Azerbaijan will also increase. Yes, we know how many windmills Europe is installing. We know what they are planning to do. But even with all that, there will still be shortages. So let’s work as a team — that’s what we have suggested: our European partners and Azerbaijan, as a geographical bridge between Europe and Asia, with experience in implementing huge mega-projects and with a diversified foreign policy agenda — we are ready to be instrumental. There is much more to say, but I don’t want to take up the audience’s time today. Thank you.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Next, we are going to turn to Mr. Dmytro Gordon, journalist and founder of the “Gordon” media in Ukraine.
Dmytro Gordon: Dear Mr. President, we in Ukraine watched with great admiration as Azerbaijan regained its lands and territory under your leadership. This is a very inspiring example for us. And, of course, Ukrainians are grateful to you for repeatedly and publicly expressing support for the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This cannot be forgotten. For many years now, we have been living under the most difficult conditions — in a brutal war where the very existence of the Ukrainian state is at stake. What advice could you, as the leader of a victorious nation, give to Ukraine and Ukrainians?
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you for your kind words about our country and about what has been done to restore our sovereignty and territorial integrity. I once had the opportunity to answer a question from a representative of Ukraine at an event several years ago, and the question was about the same. And my answer will not differ from what I said then. And I think this is in tune with the aspirations of the Ukrainian people: never to come to terms with occupation. This is the main advice. This is what we did. Or rather, this is how we saw this process.
Because the period of the First Karabakh War was difficult, tragic, we had numerous victims, there was genocide of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly, which is actually just a few kilometers from here. The post-conflict period was no less difficult from a moral point of view and, from an economic one. We had a million people who were left without a livelihood: more than 700,000 from the regions of Azerbaijan, the Karabakh region, as well as 250,000 Azerbaijanis who lived in Armenia and who were also deported. At that time, the population of our country was 8 million. That is, it was one of the highest levels per capita in terms of the number of refugees.
We had no money, the treasury was empty, practically no one supported us, we did not have any significant international support from anyone, the economy was in ruins, inflation was at 1000 percent unemployment was rampant, and poverty was probably already close to 100 percent. This is what Azerbaijan was like when Heydar Aliyev took over, and our people were lucky that there was such a person to whom the people turned in difficult times and who took on this heavy burden. He was not a young man, he was already 70 years old, he was not in very good health, he had suffered a serious illness, and yet it was him who managed to stabilize the situation. Besides, there was a civil war going on in Azerbaijan then. And gradually, step by step we began to rise, as they say, to revive. And we thought about only one thing – I am sure that the overwhelming majority of our citizens share what I am saying – we thought about how to regain the occupied territories. We understood that it would be difficult. First of all, because of the terrain. You were driving here from Fuzuli, which was liberated on October 17. After that, our Armed Forces walked on foot along a road that did not exist. Almost in the vicinity of Khankendi they climbed the Shusha cliffs. We proved on the battlefield that we were ready for anything. We were ready to face death and confront five to six lines of fortifications. That is why we all lived with this desire – in order to regain our ancestral territories.
The terrain was against us, the international situation was against us. The OSCE Minsk Group represented by its co-chairs was on the side of Armenia – each for their own reason, and each tried to make this situation last forever. And this status quo did not change. And even when we managed to push through some statement on behalf of the co-chair countries at the cost of incredible diplomatic effort, it was all disavowed again after some time.
As I recall now, we were very enthusiastic about the fact that it was declared at the level of the presidents of the USA, France and Russia that the status quo was unacceptable. And this was a serious statement, we had fought for it for a very long time. But after some time they changed just one word and instead of “unacceptable” they said “unstable”. That is, they gave us a signal that it turns out to be acceptable. So they kind of dropped the masks by saying that it is acceptable. This was acceptable to Armenia, it was acceptable to the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, and a number of other countries. It was unacceptable only to us.
And a year before the process of negotiations, in which I participated from the end of 2003, for 17 years, there were a lot of proposals, a lot of meetings, maybe not entirely useful, and a lot of messages suggesting that we had to come to terms with this reality. So this was the reality. You have to come to terms with it. And when I said no, it was perceived as a challenge to the powers that be, it was perceived as some kind of inappropriate reaction. And the main narrative was this – well, you see, they don’t agree, they are being offered something in exchange for giving conditional independence to separatists, but they don’t agree.
All our arguments about international law, about the fact that the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian forces, about the fact that the Minsk Group co-chairs themselves voted for this resolution – all this crashed against the wall of arrogant lecturing that we should come to terms with reality. Okay. Then we decided that we would create new realities, and then you would come to terms with them. And that’s what happened. We began to create new realities in 2020, in 44 days. And they were forced to come to terms with them. And then, in September 2023, in just one day, and they were forced to come to terms with that too.
Therefore, I am answering this question a little more broadly in order to reveal what I said at the very beginning. What I said at the very beginning may seem very simple and some kind of evasion, but behind it is what we actually experienced both in the war, at the negotiating table and after we fully restored our sovereignty. If I talk about all the threats, pressure, blackmail and other indecent actions by some foreign actors, it will probably not be a very pleasant sight, especially since this would probably require a separate meeting.
But returning to what I said, never give up and never come to terms with the violation of territorial integrity. Our friend from Uzbekistan asked about my father. You know, he, like all of us, wanted most of all to see this day when we would return to Karabakh. But it didn’t work out. I was president for 17 years before we liberated these territories. And if we hadn’t had the opportunity, we would probably have waited another 17 years. And this is not about me, and this is also, I think, important for the Ukrainians. It is not about a personality and it is not about ambitions, the point is that you need to feel responsible for the generations that lived before us, feel responsible for those who will live after us.
If I knew that we would not be able to regain the territories, well, we would have waited another 17 years and maybe another 17 years. And if it had not been me, it would not have mattered. And I was morally prepared, in principle, for someone else to do it. But I understood that if I did not do it, then it was unlikely that anyone would be able to do it. I don’t want to sound too overconfident, but this is simply what I thought, and I am sharing my memories.
And one last thing. My faith in justice was practically disappearing, just like it was in our former refugees, with whom I met regularly and told them to believe that we would return. And with each passing year I saw that there was less faith in their eyes. I could still see it in their eyes, they could tell me good things that yes, we believe. But I could see everything in their eyes. And I had less faith, less faith in justice. But our Victory is a fair Victory and a complete Victory. It says that justice exists, you just have to achieve it. And in order to achieve it, you have to work hard every day and bring victory closer with every day. Especially if the final decision depends on you, you have to dedicate your whole life to this, this is the only way it can happen.
And, of course, the most important factor is the consolidation of society. This consolidation gave me such moral strength as President and as Commander-in-Chief that I was sure that society and the people would stand behind me. And that was probably one of the crucial factors.
So I will go back to where I started with – never give up!
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you, Mr. Gordon, for that question. And once again, Mr. President, thank you for being here with us and for your openness in answering these questions. We have many more to get through, so we’re going to move on now to Mr. Mikhail Gusman, First Deputy Director General of TASS News Agency.
Mikhail Gusman: Dear Ilham Heydarovich, good afternoon. I would like to greet you and thank you for the fact that we are in Khankendi today. Although the forum is called the Shusha Forum, last time I was in this city was forty years ago. And, probably, my colleagues, my fellow countrymen will understand my state.
You know, during the previous forum you accurately determined, as I had just returned from Milwaukee, who would occupy the White House on January 20. You were accurate then, and so it happened. You even suggested that Azerbaijan’s relations with the United States, with this administration, would be better. One can judge this at least by President Trump’s greeting on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day.
My question is a little broader. Today, in my opinion, Azerbaijan is pursuing a completely unique foreign policy. And I don’t even know what other state it can be compared with. In all international azimuths, I will start with Russia, despite all the “flashes”, as I call them of recent times, which have hardly caused a positive response from the general public either in Russia or in Azerbaijan, the foundations of the agreement that you signed in Moscow on February 22, 2022, are not subject to any doubt. This is obvious.
I have spoken about the United States. Your relations with Türkiye are based on the Shusha Declaration. The President of Iran was in this room just a few days ago. European commissioners do not go a week without coming here. I could list them all, including your visit to China, your role in the Non-Aligned Movement, and so on. There is some phenomenon in this that not everyone in the world understands and, it seems to me, not everyone in the world appreciates. In this regard, I have a simple question. I understand that asking you how you manage to do this is like asking a virtuoso violinist how he plays the violin. He will likely say, “I just take the violin, the bow and play”. But your policy is based on certain, it seems to me, very clear and verified political principles that allow you to conduct this multi-vector policy.
Could you name five to seven basic political principles of President Aliyev, thanks to which you can conduct such a successful foreign policy? Thank you.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I once said at a closed-door meeting with my European colleagues back after 2020 but before 2023, when the situation was being discussed and when there were still separatists here in Khankendi, there was such a long conversation – I once said that I had said this publicly. And my counterpart responded, “well, so what” and I said that I never lie to my people. This is what I said. And this is actually true. But as a prelude to answering your question, I try never to lie to my international colleagues either. If possible, of course. And I think that we need to be objective and honest, returning to the fact that we should not lie. I think that this is probably one of the main principles: to tell the truth, first of all, to our people. And since we live in the era of the Internet and social networks, everything you say here instantly resonates throughout the world.
I think the many years of being in the position of President, along with the invaluable experience that I have acquired which would have been impossible to acquire in any other way. Also, the fact that such trusting relationships have been built, when you can trust someone. Trust does not mean agreeing, trust does not mean being dissatisfied with something to some extent or having a different agenda. Trust means simply believing that if a person has said something, this is what will be the case.
I think this is one of the factors that allowed us the opportunity to gain international authority. The second factor, I think, is no less important – always, as you rightly noted, to adhere to principles, in this case, the universal principles of international law. We have always adhered to them in any situation, regardless of any political or any other preferences. As a country that suffered from separatism and occupation itself, we simply could not formulate our approach to similar situations anywhere in the world in a different way. Therefore, commitment to international law and the UN Charter is also a fundamental factor, which, I think, enabled Azerbaijan to take a worthy place in the international arena.
I think that the geography of Azerbaijan, I have already spoken about this, is, of course, a thing that may be dangerous to some extent, and may be very useful, depending on whose hands it is in, just like medicine. Therefore, geography is used as a means of protection from risks. As for Azerbaijan, there are no internal sources of risk in our country. All potential risks can be generated outside our borders, therefore, it was also important to protect ourselves from surprises, from any risks not related to our activities, and geography played an important role in this case. And also the fact that Azerbaijan is one of a handful of countries that is a member of both European and Muslim organizations and actively participates in summit formats through the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, ECO and many others. Another important factor emphasizing the authority of Azerbaijan is the fact that we became the first and only country to become a new member of the D-8 Organization. The organization, which was once created on the initiative of Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt and now brings together the eight largest countries of the Muslim world both in terms of population and potential, had never accepted new members since its creation many decades ago. Azerbaijan was the only one to be accepted unanimously.
I think that your question can be answered endlessly, so I think I will stop here. And of course, it is important for everyone: when you take into account your interests, you must also look at the interests of your neighbor. That is, the protection of national interests is a fundamental factor in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, but in isolation from the regional and global context, this factor cannot be greatly abused. You must always look at the situation, try to look at the situation through the lens of your neighbor. And then a lot becomes clear, then a lot that could lead to some kind of misunderstanding is regulated quite effectively. Therefore, I am grateful to you for such a question.
By the way, I would like to make a small clarification. I did not predict Trump’s victory. I simply said that it would be preferable for the Azerbaijani people, given that he, like us, shares fundamental values, including family values. He is the only US president who has not started wars. And in his short time in office, it is clear that he is a man who ends wars. And we are also very grateful to him personally for his desire to help Azerbaijan and Armenia to come to an agreement in the end. Despite the fact that he is busy with more global issues of international security, he also keeps the situation in the South Caucasus in his field of view. We in Azerbaijan, of course, are glad that he won, for many reasons, and, of course, we wish him to see the matter through to the end, especially with regard to the “Washington swamp”, to drain it completely.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: We will move swiftly on to Mrs. Zhong Zhong, Chief Correspondent of the Baku branch of Xinhua News Agency.
Zhong Zhong: Hello, Mr. President. First of all, I would like to thank you for the written interview with Xinhua before your visit to China. Your interview received a great response in China. Frankly speaking, you yourself have already become the most brilliant calling card of Azerbaijan. Obviously, after your visit, the exchanges between our countries have become more frequent, one might even say very intense. Almost every day we can hear news about new cooperation opportunities between our countries. Therefore, my question is this: how would you assess the current relations between Azerbaijan and China? What are the prospects for our cooperation? Regarding the Great Return to Karabakh, in which areas can Chinese companies participate? Thank you very much.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I do appreciate the level of cooperation between our countries. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with Chairman Mr. Xi Jinping on several occasions. We met both this year, during my state visit, and last year on the sidelines of the international summit, and we adopted and signed two important documents. Last year, it was the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, this year it was the Declaration on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. So it is one of the highest forms of interstate relations, and we are very pleased that we have reached such a level of mutual trust with the People’s Republic of China.
I should also say that literally a few days ago, the visa regime was completely abolished for citizens of Azerbaijan who want to visit China with regular passports. And we, in turn, abolished the visa regime for Chinese citizens a year ago. I think that this will contribute to the fact that contacts between our people, students and business people will become more frequent.
We have always supported and continue to support each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Azerbaijan has always openly stated that it supports the position of the People’s Republic of China on Taiwan and on other issues. Our position, the One China policy, is well known to both the Chinese leadership and the Chinese people.
Of course, we have major plans to increase the volume of trade. And there is tremendous potential for this. Container trains are already traveling from many cities of China to Azerbaijan and through Azerbaijan to the West. Their number is growing year after year, by dozens of percent. I think this will increase many times in the near future. From the very beginning, we supported Chairman Xi Jinping’s One Belt, One Road initiative and, for our part, prepared the corresponding transport and logistics infrastructure on our territory.
Chinese companies are heavily involved as contractors in the implementation of solar power plant projects. Solar panels purchased by investor companies are made in China. And recently, we have also begun to cooperate with Chinese companies in the production of green energy – solar and wind. Relevant agreements have already been signed, and I think that this will also be a good addition to our mutually beneficial cooperation.
So the relations are very strong. A very active political dialogue is being conducted both at the level of heads of state and at the level of ministers. We also have very close interactions with various regions of China. We already have several Azerbaijani trading houses operating in China. So we see great prospects in this area.
As for transport and logistical projects, as I have already mentioned, new railway arteries, including those financed by the People’s Republic of China in the Central Asian region, will help increase cargo traffic through the Caspian to Azerbaijan, and then along international routes. So, thank you for your question. You are welcome!
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Okay, we’re going to move on to correspondent Oubai Shahbandar from AnewZ.
Oubai Shahbandar: Mr. President, I am the Washington, D.C. correspondent for AnewZ. I want to follow up on your response regarding Azerbaijan’s relationship with the United States. Of course, one year ago at the Shusha Forum, you praised President Trump’s legacy of having no wars in his first term as something commendable. You also raised the issue of traditional values and emphasized that President Trump — then a candidate — prioritized that specific policy, which you said you shared. Fast forward one year: President Trump has won the election decisively. Is this potentially a new era in Azerbaijan–U.S. relations? Can America and Azerbaijan become great friends again?
President Ilham Aliyev: That’s actually what we are hoping for. I think that now, taking into account several months of our interaction with representatives of President Trump’s administration, it clearly demonstrates that we’re on the right path. We are back to normal relations. You know that the previous U.S. administration almost ruined U.S.–Azerbaijani ties. High-ranking officials from the State Department were publicly saying that there would be no business as usual with Azerbaijan again — and that was because we restored our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Can you imagine? The United States was — and is — strongly behind Ukraine’s efforts to restore its sovereignty. But when we restored our sovereignty, they said there would be no business as usual. That was a high-ranking official from the State Department. And many other steps, which we considered unfriendly from the administration of President Biden, were actually the main factors in the deterioration of the relationship. And of course, we took it very seriously when President Biden decided not to issue a waiver to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act — a waiver he and his predecessors used to issue every year. They did that because they needed us in Afghanistan. And as soon as they stopped needing us in Afghanistan, they reimposed the sanctions on Azerbaijan — sanctions that were adopted in 1992. So, in 1992, the U.S. Congress adopted sanctions on Azerbaijan because, as it was written, Azerbaijan was blockading Armenia — though that was, as President Trump likes to say, fake news. We didn’t blockade Armenia. Armenia occupied our territory. But due to the activity of the pro-Armenian lobby in the U.S. Congress, this sanction was imposed. In 2001, when the United States needed us for the mission in Afghanistan, the president — and then all the presidents — issued a waiver to that sanction. So, President Biden reimposed it. Now we see great potential for a strong partnership with the United States. We have received very positive messages from Washington — and messages from Azerbaijan have also been very positive. We have a great history of partnership in areas related to energy security, security as a whole, and issues related to connectivity. And as I said, we stood with the United States in Iraq and in Afghanistan when they needed us. Our military servicemen served shoulder to shoulder with them. So, we are enthusiastic, and we hope there will be important milestones in the foreseeable future that will elevate U.S.–Azerbaijani relations to a higher level. I think this will be absolutely natural, because a lot of things unite us — particularly with Mr. Trump’s administration. And by the way, his first term as president was also very positive for U.S.–Azerbaijani relations. I believe this continuation of positive trends — which we already see — is promising. As I said, he is a very busy man now, dealing with global issues and putting an end to wars. But at the same time, he is actively involved in the process in the South Caucasus, and he is doing a great job in helping Azerbaijan and Armenia find a solution to this long-lasting conflict. So, I think we will have more good news in the future.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. Mr. Agha Iqrar Haroon, Director of DND News Agency — hello and welcome.
Agha Iqrar Haroon: Thank you so much. First of all, Mr. President, I would like to thank you for everything you did during the difficult times Pakistan was facing. It was under aggression, and you — along with your country and your nation — stood with Pakistan. That will never be forgotten. Thank you so much for that.
My question relates to what was raised by our Russian and Ukrainian friends, and to your response. Look, I speak as a student of political philosophy. Azerbaijan is — very calmly, but very strongly — becoming a hub of international negotiation and mediation. You recently mediated between Israel and Türkiye, and before that, you hosted a NATO meeting with Russia. These are significant developments. Before I ask you about the recipe or the factors behind this success story, I would like to mention one thing. You just used the word ECO. The ECO has not been as active or successful as it should have been. So what are the reasons behind the lull of such an important regional organization? And second, could Azerbaijan play a role between Ukraine and Russia so that this conflict can at least be paused? Thank you so much.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. We step in only when invited. If we are not invited, we stay at home. We don’t go, as some people do, to see someone without an invitation. If there is an invitation, I think we can provide the necessary facilitation — but only when asked.
With respect to ECO, I agree that this organization has great potential. At this summit in Khankendi, we wanted to bring a new dimension to the institution. Prior to the summit, I met with the Secretary General, Mr. Khan — who, as you know, is from Pakistan — and we agreed that this time we would have different fora. All of them were held here, in the liberated territories: one in Shusha, one in Aghdam, and one in Lachin. It was a Business Forum, a Women’s Forum, and a Youth Forum. Then, representatives of these fora reported at the summit, in front of heads of state, about what they had discussed and agreed upon.
So, we need ECO to be more consolidated and more efficient, because we know the potential of its member countries. There are active and less active formats of bilateral partnerships among member states, but we need to have a stronger multilateral approach. From this point of view, I believe Azerbaijan’s efforts will be appreciated. We have now taken on this responsibility as Chair, and I’m confident it will be a successful term. We have great experience in chairing the Non-Aligned Movement — a much larger institution than ECO. But during our three-year chairmanship, our performance was so effective that member states unanimously decided to extend our chairmanship for one more year. So, we served as Chair for four years, and we brought a great deal of dynamism to the Non-Aligned Movement. We initiated the creation of the Parliamentary Network, which is now operational, along with the Women’s Platform and the Youth Platform — all mechanisms that make international organizations more powerful and more vocal. We — and many other countries — participate in different international institutions. But sometimes, these institutions lack consolidation. So, we will try to do our best.
With respect to our foreign policy exposure now, I would say that our foreign policy direction has not changed, but the form has changed. The reason is that now, with the Karabakh conflict behind us, we have more time to focus on areas we previously could not — because we were under occupation. The resolution of the conflict, the endless negotiations, the useless visits of the Minsk Group troika — all of that took a lot of time and effort. So, we didn’t have time, and didn’t even have the potential, to focus on other matters. All our foreign policy was aimed at the restoration of our territorial integrity — which was natural. Now that it is accomplished, we have become much more active on the international stage. What you mentioned about our mediation efforts between different countries is only one part of that. We have truly become an active member of the international community. With strong links to various international actors, we can — and will — play a much more important role, at least in the broader region. When I say “broader region,” I mean the South Caucasus, the Middle East, Central Asia, and all that lies in close proximity to Azerbaijan. Also, in Europe — because our agenda with the European Union is currently undergoing what I would call a reset. We also experienced difficult times with the previous European Commission. But now, with the new Commission, we have received very positive messages from the leadership of the European Commission — and, of course, we responded positively.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. Holger Friedrich, Publisher of Berliner Verlag.
Holger Friedrich: Thank you. Mr. President, and thank you to all your colleagues for the invitation. I’m from Berlin, Germany, and the impression of Azerbaijan in Western European countries is, let’s say, slightly controversial. But my personal experience over the last couple of years — in this region, in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and even in Azerbaijan — is completely the opposite. It’s a very vibrant region: dynamic, highly educated, and full of ambition. Even with the conflict with Armenia, there is now a solution. If you look at Europe, unfortunately, many conflicts have no solution at the moment. So, my question is: You are a political leader, responsible for Azerbaijan. If you had the chance to influence public opinion in Western European countries, what would you want the impression of Azerbaijan to be right now? And I don’t mean media — I mean public opinion. Do you have a vision?
President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, but you know better than I do that public opinion is largely influenced by media — especially when it comes to forming an opinion about a country you don’t know anything about. So, you make your judgment based on the media. You’ve chosen a very diplomatic word — “controversial” — thank you for that. But being very open, I would say that Western public opinion, influenced by Western media, is extremely negative and unfair toward Azerbaijan. We have tried to change it, but it doesn’t work. And not because we were not active — we have been very active — but because there are certain rules and procedures in the European political spectrum that are designed to demonize Azerbaijan and to spread rumors and fake stories about our country. There have been several reasons for that. One of them, which we should not underestimate, is the consolidated Armenian lobbying groups that are very active in the United States. And we know — and you know — how some media in the West, including in Germany, are influenced by the United States. So, when the direction of coverage comes from anti-Azerbaijani circles influenced by Armenian media, we face a consolidated media attack on Azerbaijan. We’ve faced it several times already — I would say many times — especially on the eve of big international events. The first was in 2015, when we hosted the First European Games in Azerbaijan. We were the subject of fake stories, attacks, and blackmail from Western media. The most recent example was COP29, when we saw at least seven to ten articles in leading Western media — which President Trump fairly calls “fake news” — such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsweek, and some French outlets like Le Monde and Le Figaro. That was a coordinated, orchestrated attack to discredit Azerbaijan. So, the number one reason is Armenian penetration and lobbying. Number two: we know the potential of our country. We know Azerbaijan’s importance in different areas. And the more time passes, the more capable we become. Of course, this creates frustration in some circles in the West — that Azerbaijan conducts a highly independent policy, doesn’t listen to instructions, ignores advice, and does whatever it decides is in its national interest. If we had listened to that advice, our country would probably be at war with at least two of its neighbors today. If we had listened to that advice, we would never have returned Karabakh. If we had listened to that advice, we would still be dependent on the IMF and its divide-and-rule strategies. But we didn’t listen. We built a strong country, a strong economy. We reduced foreign debt to 6.9% of GDP. Meanwhile, the countries that criticize us have foreign debts exceeding 100% of GDP. We reduced poverty from 49% to 5%. I don’t want to talk about poverty in France — I think it’s around 16%. So, that’s how it is. We live our own life. We don’t impose our will on others. We don’t tell Europeans how to behave, whom to marry, or what to eat. We just want the same in return. We want respect. We want an understanding that this is our life, this is our land, and we do what the Azerbaijani people tell us to do. Frankly speaking, we’ve already put aside efforts to influence public opinion in Europe. We think it’s a waste of time. But the best way, I think, is through events like this — when we host journalists and media leaders from more than 50 countries. Every year, the audience grows, and we welcome new guests. The best way is not to tell you something good about us — but for you to come, speak to the people, ask them what they think about me, about our government, and how they see the country developing. Then, only one thing is needed: to tell the truth to your audience. That will, I think, lead to much better mutual understanding. Thank you.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: We’re going to move swiftly on to Mr. Gela Vasadze, author and host of the Caucasus News channel.
Gela Vasadze: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Thank you very much for another celebration, the third celebration called the Shusha Media Forum. It is a celebration indeed, which leaves a huge aftertaste. A number of questions that I had prepared have already been asked. So I will ask others. I still have questions, quite a few have accumulated over the year. About the meeting in Abu Dhabi. After the meeting in Abu Dhabi, to be honest, I thought about what I kept telling my friend Farhad Mammadov, who is sitting next to me, that when we met, I said, Farhad, we can talk about anything, but let’s agree on one thing: the national interests of Azerbaijan and Georgia completely coincide, their strategic interests completely coincide. After the meeting in Abu Dhabi, I thought: how do the national interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan contradict each other so much? How do they contradict each other strategically? To be honest, I did not see these contradictions. Because Armenia’s interests are the same as Azerbaijan’s – to have a normal neighbor and partner, and to develop this. We have already reached a point when these interests are recognized and when we actually have a picture in which external forces, I don’t mean countries, but a specific group of people with interests, simply prevent our countries and people here in the region from living normally. Thank you.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I think that your question in this context and at this historical juncture is completely legitimate, and I have no objection to the fact that the interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan may coincide. But the thing is that Armenia has always seen it differently. If there had been no occupation, no deportation of Azerbaijanis with all the barbarity, destruction and genocide, the situation in the South Caucasus would have been completely different. The South Caucasus would have been integrated long ago economically, politically, transport-wise, and, most likely, in terms of energy. And everything would have been fine, so much time would not have been wasted. The reason is not with us, the reason is the occupational nature of the regimes that ruled Armenia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. None of them were particularly different from each other in their Azerbaijanophobia and unmotivated aggression against Azerbaijan.
Having been here more than once, you may have paid attention to the destruction and desecration of our religious shrines. But when I come here, and I come here very often, I sometimes ask myself: after all, we did nothing bad to them in Soviet times, absolutely nothing. They lived here peacefully, they had a semi-autonomous entity. Not a republic, but an autonomous region, and this autonomous region was led by people of Armenian ethnicity. Opposite this building, as I already said, is the building of the former regional committee. The first secretary of the regional committee sat there – he was an Armenian. The chairman of the executive committee was also an Armenian. There were nine members of the bureau of the regional committee of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, and among them only one was an Azerbaijani. And he was the first secretary of the district committee of the city of Shusha. And he simply had to be there by virtue of his position, and if not, then he would not have been included there either. What oppression were we talking about? There was no oppression. On the contrary, they enjoyed all the benefits that the Azerbaijan Republic, then Soviet, provided. And everything you see on this square, well, with the exception of this, was built by Azerbaijani architects. The regional committee building was built by architect Hasan Majidov, the Karabakh hotel building, which we have now restored, was built by architect Anvar Gasimzada, the father of the current chairman of the Union of Architects. The executive committee building, which is now being restored, was built by Azerbaijani architect Kangarli. So this was the case. All this is unmotivated wrath. Why was it necessary to turn Aghdam into the Hiroshima of the Caucasus, as they call it? After all, this was done after the war was over. This is unmotivated anger, which resulted in the destruction of everything connected with Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis.
Well, if we talk about Abu Dhabi and the comments we heard from Yerevan, yes, it was a good comment and I am aware of what Prime Minister Pashinyan said about the fact that Karabakh should have been recognized as part of Azerbaijan earlier. It should have been. I told them about it. In 2018 and in 2019, I said it to them, I warned that it would get worse. Well, what did we get instead? When you leave here, if you go a little to the left and look to the left, you will see a football stadium. It is currently under reconstruction. The stadium was built in the 1950s, and do you know who it was named after? No? No idea? The Stalin Stadium. So, at this stadium, Prime Minister Pashinyan, who is now saying that Karabakh should have been recognized as part of Azerbaijan earlier, said at a large rally in the summer of 2019 that “Karabakh is Armenia, period.” So he signed up for a hard life for himself, so to speak. I am not even talking about what was happening in the Shusha meadows or the attempt to move the parliament, as I mentioned earlier, to the city of Shusha by the decision of Mr. Pashinyan. And they began to build it here. When I came here, I even remember going there and addressing the people right from there. I made an address standing in front of that building. We knocked it down. Do you know what is now in place of this building? The second question. Do know it – the Shusha Hotel where you are staying. So this is the story.
Now that we have regained what belongs to us and everyone has come to terms with that, I do not see any serious contradictions now. But within the framework of a long discussion with my Armenian colleague, one of the topics that we discussed was a very low level of trust between the parties. Which is completely understandable. As for us, our position has never changed. Just as I said in 2003 that Karabakh is our land, I continue to say this over the past 22 years. But the Armenian position has changed. Where is the guarantee that it will not change again? Is there such a guarantee? Taking into account the etymology and the evolution of consciousness. I do not have such a guarantee, therefore the guarantee must be international legal norms and documents that will, as I said in Abu Dhabi, firmly and resolutely close the lid of the coffin of separatism. And for this, the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group is necessary. The logic is simple. If the Armenian side believes that the Karabakh conflict is over and the Minsk Group was created to address the Karabakh conflict, then it must be liquidated. To do this, changes to the Armenian constitution are needed so that the declaration of independence containing territorial claims to Azerbaijan is removed. And that is basically it. Therefore, the text of the peace treaty has been agreed. The idea of initialing this document was also put forward by the Azerbaijani side. We simply did not comment on what happened in Abu Dhabi. We thought that since we agreed on a joint text of the communiqué, there was nothing to comment on. But the Armenian side, as always, is trying to reveal some details with some comments of its own. In principle, we are not far from firmly sealing the coffin lid and continuing to live normally. I said this at previous meetings. You live your life and we will live ours. Only in this way, gradually and step by step can a more or less acceptable situation in the South Caucasus develop so that the three countries can finally begin to discuss the possibility of at least some kind of cooperation.
So thank you for your question and welcome again.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: If we could kindly get a microphone now to Naila Balayeva from Reuters.
Naila Balayeva: Mr. President, I have several questions for you. Considering the European Union’s plan to stop using Russian gas by 2027, is Azerbaijan ready to increase gas exports? My second question is about the Zangezur corridor. The Prime Minister of Armenia recently stated that he had received a proposal from the United States regarding control over the Zangezur corridor. What is the official position of Baku on this matter? And my next question is about relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. First, why did Azerbaijan skip the CIS Economic Council meeting yesterday, and what was the reason for this decision? What is the current state of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia? Has Moscow responded to Azerbaijan’s concerns regarding the AZAL Airlines aircraft incident? Thank you, Mr. President.
President Ilham Aliyev: With respect to our cooperation with the European Union — as you know, in 2021 we signed the Declaration on Strategic Partnership in the energy field. Since that time, we have increased our gas supply to Europe from 8 to 13 BCM. Today, we supply gas to 12 countries — 10 of them are European, and 8 of them are members of the European Union. The European Union has called Azerbaijan a reliable partner and, at the same time, a pan-European gas supplier — which is true. And by coverage — I mean geographical coverage of pipeline gas, not LNG — Azerbaijan is among the leading countries on a global scale. Relatively recently, at the Caspian Business Week, in my comments, I spoke about our plans regarding gas production. I announced that we are planning to increase natural gas production by up to 8 BCM by 2030. So, if today we export 25 BCM, our export will reach around 33 BCM. And the question is: where to direct this 8 BCM? This is important. I already touched upon this issue regarding the capacity of the existing pipeline system and interconnectors. Without expansion of the pipeline system, it will be difficult to even plan how to increase exports.
Regarding Russia–European Union relations on natural gas: we have never taken that factor as something we should consider. We were never trying to compete with Russia — even when Russia was supplying 150+ billion cubic meters to Europe — and we never offered our services as a substitute. No. For us, it’s absolutely commercial. We have always treated our energy policy as business-oriented. We never politicized it. We never cut gas supply to countries we didn’t like. We always looked at it from a commercial standpoint and always honored our obligations. So, there has never been any disruption in supplies to any country. That is the real story. This additional 8 BCM must be channeled somewhere, and we are now looking at our options. We have received proposals from several EU member states — both from those who already receive our gas and from those who do not. We are evaluating these proposals based on accessibility to markets and, of course, based on commercial terms.
With respect to your question about the American company and the Zangezur corridor — this is a question for the Armenian leadership. On our territory, there will be no operator, no lease, no rent. We do everything ourselves. What Armenia wants to do — I don’t know. They can do many things. They invited European so-called observers, which is a group of well-prepared spies who were spying against us — and, by the way, were recently spying against Iran. During the recent Israeli-Iranian standoff, they were walking and driving along the Iranian border. They like to look at us through binoculars. So, we do the same. Tomorrow they may invite — I don’t know — whoever they want. They can invite anyone. For us, the important thing is — and I told my colleague in Abu Dhabi once again — that we must have unimpeded and safe access from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan. And we consider it exactly as I said: access from one part of the country to another. Azerbaijani cargo and Azerbaijani citizens should not have to face Armenian border security — or anyone else, for that matter. This is our legitimate demand, and I think it is absolutely fair. Otherwise, our people will be under threat. I remember during Soviet times, when trade was moving from Baku to Nakhchivan, on that particular segment of Zangezur, Armenians were throwing stones at the train windows. Most of the windows of the trains were broken.
This is history — and we remember it. And that was during the Soviet era, with all its discipline and punishment mechanisms. Today, we cannot risk the life and health of our people. Therefore, there should be no physical contact and there must be guaranteed security measures so our people and cargo can travel freely. This is a very legitimate demand.
On relations with Russia — the question was about the plane incident? Unfortunately, we have not received any response from Russian officials, though seven months have already passed. For us, everything is clear. We know what happened, and we can prove it. And we know that Russian officials know what happened. The question is: why do they not do what any neighbor would do? Our requests or demands are absolutely natural: – Admit that this accident was their fault; – Punish those who shot down our plane; – Pay compensation to the families of the victims, to those who were wounded, and to AZAL for the loss of the plane. If you want, I can go into more details. Do you want more details?
Okay, I will take a couple more minutes. Fortunately, the pilots demonstrated bravery, courage, and professionalism — they managed to land the plane, so we didn’t lose it. As soon as we sent a team to Aktau to investigate, they reported — and filmed — that the fuselage was full of holes. Two people on board were injured by shrapnel. So, the idea that it was a Ukrainian drone that possibly hit the plane is absolutely ridiculous.
There were two attacks on the plane. Can you imagine — a Ukrainian drone comes, targets an Azerbaijani plane, hits it, falls down, and then comes back again? That’s a story for kindergarten. We know what happened. Plus, Russian airspace was not shut down. It was shut down several minutes after the plane was hit. That is also the responsibility of those who failed to announce the “KOVER” operation to close the airspace. All of that is as clear as today’s sky. But for seven months, we’ve had no answer. Our Prosecutor General regularly sends letters to the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee. All the letters get the same response: “The investigation continues.” So, we will wait until the investigation ends. But I think it is counterproductive to behave this way. It will not lead us to forget. We will not forget. We are now preparing — and have informed the Russian side — that we are preparing a case to apply to the international judicial system. We know this may take time. The Malaysian Boeing case took more than 10 years. So, we will wait for 10 years. But justice must be achieved. And unfortunately, the current state of this issue is not helpful for bilateral relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you, Mr. President. We’ve been talking now for nearly two hours — I mean, it’s flown by. Are you okay to maybe give us a further 30 minutes?
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: We’re going to take full advantage of this time. I’d like to now give the floor to Mr. Bilgehan Öztürk, who’s the Strategic Communications and International Relations Manager at Anadolu Agency.
Bilgehan Öztürk: Mr. President, thank you very much for this opportunity. It’s a very different feeling to be here in the middle of Khankendi. I know that it has been more than 30 years of occupation and a dream — and I would say it was not only a dream for Azerbaijanis, but also for generations of Turks as well, in Türkiye. And I know that the road to peace is just as rocky and challenging. You just mentioned some setbacks — like the Armenian side not reciprocating the offer to initial the communiqué. Despite the setbacks, can you say that we are getting closer to a peace agreement? Can we be optimistic? Thank you very much.
President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, I already said that. I think we are [getting closer]; the most important thing is that the draft of the peace agreement has been agreed. And by the way, coming back to the beginning of the process, I would like to say that it was Azerbaijan — the country — which initiated this process. When the Second Karabakh War ended — and at that time the Minsk Group troika was still trying to come and go — they came, and I saw that they themselves didn’t know what to do. They asked me, and I said that probably now we need to work on a peace agreement with Armenia. At that time, there was a vacuum. The war had ended — and then what? It couldn’t stay like that. There had to be a process. So, we drafted the peace agreement and sent it to Armenia. There were several comments in response. And for more than two years, there was no progress — mainly for one reason: the Armenian side wanted to incorporate the issue of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh into the peace agreement. And we told them: look, first — Nagorno-Karabakh does not exist. It exists only in your dreams. Second — this is part of Azerbaijan, and we cannot integrate our domestic agenda into a peace agreement with another country. That’s why, for more than two years, negotiations didn’t lead to any progress. Only when we took back the territories completely in September 2023 did Armenia agree not to insist on that — because it was already obvious that it no longer existed. What were they going to insist on? So basically, real negotiations started in January 2024. And based on our draft, the text was agreed. But there were two — or maybe more — paragraphs that the Armenian side did not want to agree to. But they agreed as soon as President Trump won. And I told my colleague, Mr. Pashinyan, that probably you were hoping Madam Harris would win — and again, you would be on the white horse — but it didn’t happen. So personally, I am absolutely sure that if Trump hadn’t won, they would not have agreed. Because they wanted to take more than they deserved, and more than they could have digested. Now, when they have agreed to all the paragraphs.
There are — as I said — only two legal issues left: the constitution and the dissolution of the Minsk Group. As soon as that happens, it can be signed. Yes, it can be initialed before — and that was one of the ideas the Azerbaijani side introduced in Abu Dhabi. As you know, initialing doesn’t mean signing. It just means that — instead of verbally saying “we agreed” — you put your initials on every page and say, “it’s done.” So, we are really very close. I personally think that the process is irreversible. I don’t see any chance for a kind of replay — because we are not going to renegotiate. And if Armenia one day decides to renegotiate, that will mean they do not want peace. It will mean they want territories which belong to us. So, I think we are just on the right track. They just need to do their homework. As soon as it’s done, it will be signed — and that will, of course, be a big change for the whole region.
What we already discussed — with respect to the future of the South Caucasus as a safe and stable place — we need safety and stability. Unfortunately, throughout centuries, the Caucasus was an area of bloodshed, conflicts, wars, occupations — and the people of the Caucasus suffered a lot. It’s enough. Now we need to live in peace.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. We have Mr. Jose Martin Jean-Pierre, Secretary of the International Decolonization Front and Chairman of the Guadeloupe International Reparations Movement.
Jose Martin Jean-Pierre: Your Excellency, Mr. President, I am Jose Martin Jean-Pierre, Secretary of the International Decolonization Front and Chairman of the Guadeloupe International Reparations Movement. Last year, at the Shusha Global Media Forum, you addressed Azerbaijan’s role in the fight against neo-colonialism and referred to those countries still suffering from colonial oppression. Indeed, Azerbaijan — especially through the Baku Initiative Group — has played a crucial role, not only in raising awareness within the international community on this matter, but also in contributing to the consolidation of those struggling against colonial operations in accordance with international law. In light of the new agreement signed on July 12 between New Caledonia and France — and considering that the fight against colonialism still continues in overseas territories seeking justice and freedom — we would greatly appreciate hearing your views on this development.
President Ilham Aliyev: I believe that what happened between France and New Caledonia is a historic precedent. But I don’t think it’s the end of the story — it’s just the beginning. Our position on issues related to neo-colonialism is very clear and straightforward. It is absolutely free from any bilateral agenda, as some may assume or attempt to portray. As the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, from the very first year of our chairmanship, we advocated for decolonization — for the independence of colonial territories and for justice through the implementation of international decisions.
That was our duty as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement. At the same time, it reflects our position as a country, because in the 21st century, one country cannot hold another people under colonial rule. That is entirely incompatible with any notion of human decency. It violates the fundamental rights and freedoms of peoples — the very values that the European continent claims to stand for — and yet those values are being brutally suppressed by colonial ambitions. The Baku Initiative Group is an international NGO. It has nothing to do with the Azerbaijani government, as some in certain European capitals may think or try to present. But within a short period of time, this group has managed to build an agenda that reflects the real needs and aspirations of the peoples of Guadeloupe, New Caledonia, Martinique, Saint-Martin, and other colonized territories. This is their group. It is not a group pursuing its own agenda. They — and the Azerbaijani and international supporters involved in the process — simply want to help people gain their freedom and become the owners of their own destiny. And they have every right to do so. So yes, I believe what happened between France and New Caledonia is the beginning. It is a precedent. And I believe this could have been achieved without the tragic events in New Caledonia, where more than 10 people were killed by French authorities. It reminds me of what we’ve discussed about Armenia and Azerbaijan. If the Armenian leadership had recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan back in 2019, there would have been no war between us. Better late than never. It is also clear that if the people of New Caledonia had not demonstrated such strong political will, courage, and bravery — their readiness to die for freedom — this agreement would never have been signed. So, you have to fight. You have to fight to restore your territorial integrity. You have to fight for freedom. You have to fight for liberation. That is how the world works. And I hope that this first step will lead to more. That all the territories still under French colonial rule will eventually achieve the same kind of interstate relationship with France that New Caledonia is now attaining.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. We’re going to cross now over to Mrs. Zipporah Maubane, who is Head of Communications and Advocacy for the Office of the CEO of the African Union Development Agency.
Zipporah Maubane: Good afternoon, Mr. President, Your Excellency. This is my first visit to Shusha, but I was here last year for COP29, and it was efficient and well-organized. Congratulations to you and the team. I have two questions for you, but, Your Excellency, I would like to set some context before I ask my questions. At the African Union, I’m responsible for advocacy and communications, so I work with media from all over the world, talking about Africa’s development—initiatives around resource mobilization, strategies around climate change impacts, what we’re doing around peace and security, and also what we’re doing to position Africa as a magnet for investment. So that’s the work that I do, and I feel very privileged to be here. My first question is: Earlier, you mentioned that during COP29, you made commitments to help developing countries with climate change mitigation. Will some of those developing countries include African countries? That’s number one. Number two. Africa has a very ambitious agenda for development. It’s called Agenda 2063. It’s a 50-year program of development across many facets of society and business. For example, Agenda 2063 has a development program around infrastructure for the entire continent, because we know that where there is no infrastructure, there is no development. And to be specific, the program is around infrastructure development in terms of energy, ICT and digital transformation, water and road networks, and transportation networks, including railways. So, the question is, Mr. President: Would Azerbaijan be interested in collaborating with African countries around these major development infrastructure projects? I thank you very much, Mr. President.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. First of all, on COP29, definitely, support for African countries with respect to climate change is one of the priorities on our agenda. As President of COP29, as I said, we have a special format for small island developing states, just because for them this threat is existential. We all know that their existence largely depends on the level of the World Ocean. But with respect to the countries of the African continent—yes, we have it on our agenda. And by the way, as the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, even during COVID-19, we provided financial and humanitarian support to more than 80 countries, and many of them were member countries of the African Union. For many years already, we have had a permanent representation in the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia. And as I said before, now, when we are no longer preoccupied with our own problem—conflict with Armenia—our foreign policy agenda is much broader. I received several heads of state on official visits here from Africa, and we have already sent high-level delegations there. With some countries, we are now actively working on potential cooperation in the energy field. We are working with some countries on some loan arrangements—very low-interest loans to some African countries. I don’t want to go into specific details, but really, it is on our agenda, and we want to be more active. We can do many things together, because we have investments to invest outside; we are looking for areas in which to invest. Our investment portfolio—what has already been done—is more than 20 billion US dollars, I mean investments outside of Azerbaijan. So, with respect to the potential which African countries have, we can combine this and create synergy. And by the way, in my personal contacts—during official visits and during my meetings with the leaders of African countries at COP29—I asked them to give us a list of priorities, or even better, concrete projects where they want to see Azerbaijani companies, whether private or state, as investors. So, we are actively working on that, and thank you for being with us today.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Thank you. We’re going to cross over now to Mr. Pavel Novotný, who is Head of the Foreign Department at Hospodárske noviny, the newspaper in Slovakia.
Pavel Novotný: Hello, Mr. President, let’s look to the future. We are living in the age of AI, and Azerbaijan would like to be a power in technology. You personally have ordered the creation of the National Strategy for developing AI. How successful have you been in this effort? Thank you.
President Ilham Aliyev: Well, we just started. We’ll see how successful we will be, but it is clear that we need to follow the trends of the world. We cannot just sit and wait. Therefore, my decisions are based, again, on our development and modernization agenda. We have good contacts with the leading international companies. With many of them, we work as investors. We are investing our funds through big international groups. At the same time, we have a good record of attracting foreign investments in the energy sector. During the last 20 years, only foreign investments in Azerbaijan were close to 200 billion US dollars. So, the country is, as I said, stable, self-sufficient, with a clear vision for the future. So we must be among the front-runners. Again, it’s difficult to say how successful we will be. It’s difficult for me to say what will happen with AI, because you know that there is strong and growing opposition from different segments of different societies, so it’s still in the process of gaining ground. So, we will see. For me, now, it would probably be very improper to say that we will achieve this or that—no. We only report when we have already achieved something. Hopefully, next year, if you come to the Shusha Forum, we will have something to share with you.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: We have a questionnaire from Latin America. Mr. Francisco Felipe Martorell Cammarella, editor of the magazine El Periodista.
Francisco Felipe Martorell Cammarella: Good afternoon, Mr. President. I will ask my question in Spanish. Mr. President, thank you very much for your invitation and for the hospitality of the Azerbaijani people. It is a great honor for me to be here. I have come from a very distant country—15,000 kilometers away. At this moment, my relatives and family members are just waking up. I had to cross seas and many time zones. I believe I am the only journalist here from Latin America. A few weeks ago, you sent your representative to Chile, and he held meetings not only in Chile, but also in Argentina and Brazil. I would like to ask: How do you see the future and potential of your relations with our region? And how can cultural exchanges between our countries and regions develop in the future? Thank you very much.
President Ilham Aliyev: We have established embassies in several countries in Latin America for quite a while, and there have been exchanges of delegations at different levels, including visits by ministers and foreign ministers. So, I would not say that the relations are at the level we want to see. But, as I have already said many times, now that we have more time for international affairs, we will definitely have it on our agenda. We’ve been in discussions with some companies with respect to agricultural development in Azerbaijan. Some projects have already been completed. But of course, it’s a very big continent, with very developed economies in many Latin American countries. I think we can find a lot of common ground in business, trade, potential investments, and also in cultural dimensions.
Thank you for traveling such a long distance to Azerbaijan. I hope that you will not regret coming to see us, and hopefully, this visit will open the door for many of your compatriots, to whom you will probably say good things about Azerbaijan when you return home.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Well, our final question is a little closer to home. I’d like to invite Vusala Mahirgizi from Azeri-Press Agency to give us the final question of the session.
Vusala Mahirgizi, “APA Media Group”: Mr. President, we were in Shusha for the First Shusha Global Forum. After the Global Forum, we looked down at Khankendi from Shusha. But now we are here in Khankendi, and you are here too. I want to ask you a question about the Great Return to Karabakh. We already have about 50,000 people living in Karabakh. I remember that when we first came to Shusha, it took us nine hours to get here, but now we reached Shusha by car in a matter of four hours. The roads are under construction. We saw mosques, minarets and schools in each of the villages. How is the process related to the Great Return going? This is my first question.
And with your permission, I would like to ask the second question about the Azerbaijani media. In just a few days, we will be celebrating our holiday, the 150th anniversary of Azerbaijani media. It is interesting for us to know your thoughts about the future of our press, especially in an era when there are social media and artificial intelligence – you also spoke a little about that. One of our main topics at the moment is disinformation on social media. This is one of the issues Azerbaijan is suffering from the most. So I would like to hear your thoughts about that this. I am also interested to know whether you use artificial intelligence. Thank you.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. No, I do not use it myself but I have family members who use it. They sometimes inform me about it. But I will probably be using it too one day. Because artificial intelligence is spreading so fast that the number of users will be very large. The main thing is that artificial intelligence does not take us away from the criteria and standards we know.
I congratulate you and your colleagues on the anniversary. I am very pleased with the development of the Azerbaijani media. I am very glad that our media have gained great authority not only within the country, but also internationally. I say this quite frankly, not for the sake of saying nice words to you.
The Azerbaijani media today are capable of protecting state interests. They have also achieved great success in exposing unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan with arguments, serious analysis and facts. Our media not only defend state interests but also go on the offensive when necessary. And this is also necessary. In sports, they sometimes say that offense is the best defense. I do not want to comment on this thesis but the fact is that today, Azerbaijani media are read at various levels in many countries, the articles and writings published in the media are analyzed. Assumptions are also made about the extent to which those articles correspond to the official position of Azerbaijan. This gives grounds to say that our media have truly come a long way. When I say media, I mean journalists, first of all. Because it is the employees, people like you, your colleagues who make the media influential. I am, in the truest sense of the word, happy and wish you continued success. Today, Azerbaijan is at a stage where it still needs to defend itself. Today, your colleague from Europe already mentioned this when he asked this question: How can you influence public opinion, public opinion in the West? I think that the media are the best tool for that. The broader the outreach of our media, the more accurate, complete and fair information about the country can be communicated to the world community. There is still a lot of work to be done here. However, I can say that our media are now capable of responding to any unpleasant and slanderous campaigns, and this is a very important new reality.
As for the Great Return, to fully answer this question we would need to organize a separate panel and it would take me a few hours. Because the work that has been done is so large-scale that it is difficult to describe it in one answer. Everything is in sight – the number of people returning is increasing and will continue to increase even faster in the future. Because in the first four years we were mainly engaged in infrastructure projects. We have now almost completed the main part of them. All of Karabakh and East Zangezur have already been provided with a circular electricity network and have also been connected to the traditional national electricity grid of Azerbaijan. Here, hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 280 megawatts are already producing energy, and this energy goes from Karabakh to other regions of Azerbaijan. Because today there are not so many people living in Karabakh to need so much electricity. You mentioned that you came here by car. I don’t know whether you used the Aghdam-Khankendi-Shusha road or the Fuzuli road. You also went through tunnels along the Fuzuli road. Seven tunnels have been built on this road alone. The total length of the tunnels is 80 kilometers. The longest tunnel will probably be ready in the next two to three months. The length of the tunnel under Mount Murov, the length of just one tunnel is 11,700 meters. In other words, this is one of the longest tunnels in the world. The railway has been built. Now it will be possible to travel to Aghdam comfortably by train. I recently laid the foundation for the Aghdam-Khankendi railway. The construction of the Khankendi-Shusha cable car will probably begin soon and will be a very scenic facility. At the same time, the functional side of this is also very important – everywhere there is construction work, hospitals, houses, residential buildings.
As I mentioned, after we have completed most of the infrastructure projects, more of the funding will be channeled into housing. Yesterday, people returned to two villages in Khojaly district. The number of settlements where former IDPs live has now reached 18. A total of 1,500 people are now studying at Karabakh University in Khankendi, and 300 professors teach them. So, all this, you know, seems like a miracle to us, including myself. However, it is no secret that I was involved in making all these decisions. But the fact that such a huge amount of work has been done in such a short period of time is a testament to how talented our people are. According to the information I have, including what foreign representatives who have visited here are saying, it is not only about money, not only about the financial issue. No matter how much money you may have, if you do not have human capital, if people do not work with their hearts, it is impossible to achieve anything. I would like to bring to your attention one special sign, which you probably know quite well. Everyone who works here does so with tremendous enthusiasm – that is, of course, companies and state institutions working here – working here gives people a special pleasure. We missed these lands so much, we longed for these lands so much that now we have returned, as they say, we cannot get enough of these lands. That is why the Great Return Program is already a reality. Of course, there will be stages of this, and the number of people returning here will grow month after month, year after year. Karabakh and East Zangezur will revive. I said at the beginning of the Great Return that we will turn this region into a paradise, and it is already a small piece of paradise. We are seeing this with our own eyes here. Thank you.
Moderator Jane Witherspoon: Mr. President, as you say, we could have continued the conversation well into the night. Unfortunately, it is time to draw the session to a close. Thank you so much for being with us. Thank you for your openness and for sharing your time with us this evening.
Ladies and gentlemen, I know we’ve just had a round of applause, but please join me once again in thanking His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
