Bakı/02.08.23/Turan: In an exclusive interview conducted by Euronews correspondent Aneliz Borges, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shared their views on the ongoing tensions between their nations.
President Aliyev conveyed a message of peace to the Armenians, affirming that Azerbaijan seeks peaceful relations and has no territorial claims against Armenia. He also expressed his desire for Armenia not to assert any territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Aliyev emphasized that the people living in Karabakh, currently under the temporary control of Russian peacekeepers, are considered citizens of Azerbaijan.
He urged them to choose between living as citizens of Azerbaijan, along with other ethnic minorities, or leaving the region.
In response, Prime Minister Pashinyan described the document signed on November 9, 2020, as not constituting a comprehensive peace agreement and accused Azerbaijan of recurrently violating its provisions.
He stressed the importance of peace but believed that certain nuances needed to be understood by the international community to comprehend the reasons for the slow progress. He recounted a meeting in Brussels with President Aliyev, mediated by European Union President Charles Michel, where both leaders agreed to mutually recognize each other's territorial integrity, specifying specific areas measuring 29,800 and 86,600 square meters.
Political commentator Elkhan Shahinoglu, providing insights on these interviews in the program "Difficult Question," remarked that both leaders' statements were aimed at alleviating existing tensions.
Shahinoglu cited President Aliyev's assurance that Karabakh Armenians would be guaranteed security and various rights, including educational, cultural, religious, and municipal rights, ensuring they could lead a normal life.
However, he also pointed out that Armenia has yet to fully acknowledge Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, and the Karabakh Armenians have been resistant to adhering to Azerbaijan's laws. He cautioned that if this trend persists, escalation may become inevitable.
Shahinoglu also highlighted a recent message suggesting that Karabakh Armenians were ready to meet with representatives from Baku in Yevlakh, potentially rejecting negotiations on neutral territory with the involvement of a third party. This development could have implications for the negotiation process.
Moreover, the political commentator noted that Prime Minister Pashinyan evaded the correspondent's question about whether he had a message not just for Azerbaijan's political leaders but also for its people.
Shahinoglu reminded that Pashinyan had previously acknowledged Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, yet he is currently delaying the signing of a peace treaty.
In Shahinoglu's assessment, this delay leaves open the possibility of a military scenario while the peace process unfolds.
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