Recently, during a media forum held in the city of Shusha, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev delivered a historic speech. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
He was asked what advice he would give to Ukrainians regarding the restoration of territorial integrity. Aliyev's response was an important signal not only for Azerbaijan but for all nations suffering from occupation.
The head of state emphasized that one must never accept occupation. According to him, this very decision gave Azerbaijan the strength and patience to overcome difficult times.
"I believe this aligns with the aspirations of Ukrainians. Never accept occupation.
This is the main advice. We did the same," he said.
Aliyev recalled the heavy events in the history of the country. He noted the severe consequences after the Karabakh war, nearly a million refugees, economic hardships, and the almost nonexistent international aid.
According to him, economically, more than a million people were deprived of their means of livelihood, over 700,000 Azerbaijanis fled from the Karabakh region, and more than 250,000 Azerbaijanis living in Armenia were deported. The president emphasized the unity of the country and society as an important factor.
In his opinion, the trust of the people in the President and the Supreme Commander led Azerbaijan to a great victory. This unity became the greatest strength on the path to restoring territorial integrity.
"We gradually stood up and developed, focusing on only one goal. I am confident that a large part of our citizens will agree with my words.
We thought about returning the occupied territory. We understood that it would be very difficult," said Aliyev.
He also addressed the injustices in the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group and the attempts to maintain the status quo. According to Aliyev, despite many obstacles, Azerbaijan made an independent decision in 2020 to restore historical justice and took practical measures, resolving the issue in one day in 2023.
At the end of his speech, Ilham Aliyev reiterated that based on his life experience and the history of the country, never giving up, not abandoning territorial integrity, and relying on societal unity are the most important factors. He reminded that wars only end when one side surrenders, while peace gives time to gather strength.
"The unity of society gave me strength as president and supreme commander. I believed that the people would support me.
This was perhaps a decisive factor. Thus, I repeat: never give up," said Aliyev.
This speech will remain a great source of inspiration and hope for peoples striving for independence, drawing strength from patience and unity.
