In my interview with a Turkish TV channel yesterday, I said that we deem Armenians residing in the territory of Karabakh to be our citizens, Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev said in his interview with the Russian First Channel. In his words, the Armenian and Azerbaijani population in Nagorno-Karabakh must dwell together as they have done so for years.
"When the conflict erupted at the end of 1980s, 75 % of the Nagorno-Karabakh population were Armenians and 25% Azerbaijanis. In the city of Shusha, when the so-called inauguration of their criminal regime leader was held and when they insulted Azerbaijanis, 98% of the population was Azerbaijani. Panakhali-khan established this ancient city of Azerbaijan, from which Azerbaijanis were banished.
After the peaceful regulation of the conflict, in accordance with the basic Madrid Principles, the Azerbaijani population must return to the occupied territories, for these principles stipulate that all IDPs are entitled to return to their homeland.
Therefore, after a peace agreement is reached, and I do hope this will happen soon, Azerbaijanis will go back to the Nagorno-Karabakh and live where they belong. We have always emphasized that we must restore the status quo which existed at the end of 1980s, before the conflict. I deem this possible.
This will not be easy after Armenian executioners' actions in Khojaly, where they killed peaceful civilians, destroyed our historic, religious monuments and heritage. This will not, obviously, be easy, but we must aspire for this.
I have repeatedly called upon the Armenian people and those who are now residing in Karabakh during the war to make its government come to senses; I have appealed to Armenian mothers to refrain from sending their sons to the occupied territories, for it is no longer a secret that the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh army does not exist, and what they call the army is composed of 90% of Armenian citizens.
I have appealed to them; however, I have not heard similar appeals from them these days. From them, I have witnessed aggression, threats, and irrational actions only. I reiterate we support peaceful regulation of the conflict and if a political will emerges in Armenia, I am confident we will manage this," Aliyev declared.
