It is necessary to prove that peaceful coexistence is possible

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- Pro-government media publish information that Azerbaijan will launch an anti-terrorist operation in the mountainous part of Karabakh in early May. Is it possible under current conditions?

-  I would say that not a single major pro-government newspaper or website has written about this. These statements are made by politicians who want to appear close to the authorities, are not very popular, criticizing the authorities and putting forward unresolved issues in the Karabakh issue as an accusation. In particular, politicians who allegedly indicate a specific date do not either know about the processes or want to drag the authorities into a provocation.

Will the operation “Anti-Terror” be carried out in a place where peacekeepers have completely taken control of order, demining, and post-war consequences? Who will do it? How will the peacekeepers view this operation? Therefore, all these statements are the fantasy of individuals.

-The information would not have been published if it had not been leaked to the media from some power circles. It looks like either this will actually happen, or this is a message to someone. Which version do you think is more likely? What could be the purpose of this data leak?

-As noted above, I have not seen such reports in any serious government structures and sources. I do not believe that the state, which pays great attention to the restoration work in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, in the territories liberated from occupation, will be interested in the emergence of any tension. Now all the attention of the authorities is focused on demining territories, attracting investments and collecting funds for restoration work. Therefore, the assumption that someone in power is planning some kind of operation in Karabakh, based on the words or statements of some politician, is in itself frivolous. Such claims have no serious source. There is no reason to think about the authorities' interest in this.

-Does Azerbaijan have the right to conduct such operations?

- Naturally, Azerbaijan has the right to conduct operations in any region if it sees a terrorist threat. The Karabakh region has just emerged from the war. There are peacekeepers there. If tomorrow there is any kind of terror, then first it will have to be eliminated by the peacekeeping forces. Because the situation getting out of control in Karabakh, first of all, will affect the responsibility and image of the peacekeeping forces. I do not believe that someone, six months after the agreement, can bring the situation to terror.

- Those who write this information take the joint exercises of the Azerbaijani-Turkish armies as a basis. There are also claims that the Karabakh map will be further cleaned up, Armenians will be concentrated in Khankendi, and then Khankendi will be chosen as the target. Information about the “Iskander-M” wreckage found in Shusha, which may have an impact on preventing Russian interference in the process, is also taken as a basis. , returning to this question, why is this information circulating and for what purpose?

-This information is again speculation by individuals. Russia and Turkey agreed to monitor compliance with the agreement reached in the region. To think that they are violating this agreement means that tomorrow there will be no need for a monitoring center, if Russia makes provocations to withdraw Turkey from the region, then Azerbaijan will not allow Russia to stay here.

- What steps should Azerbaijan take to get rid of the armed groups in the territories liberated from the occupation? What should be done to return to Azerbaijan the territories that are still under Armenian control?

- First of all, it is necessary to achieve compliance with the terms of the agreement signed on November 10 last year. Azerbaijan should be interested in proving to the people living in these territories that a peaceful existence is possible.