(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. A new history ofShusha begins today. I said in my address to the nation on November8, 2020 that we would revive Shusha. Today, we are seeing areviving Shusha, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during aceremony to present apartment keys to the firstreturning residents of Shusha, Trend reports.
Speech of President Ilham Aliyev
- Dear natives of Shusha, welcome to Shusha.
You are returning to your native Shusha after 32 years. Isincerely congratulate you on this wonderful and historic event lived with a longing for 32 years, but I am sure that you neverforgot Shusha, you knew and believed that you would return here. Ialso knew it, I also believed in it, and ever since I becamePresident in 2003, I did everything in my power to return you andall the former IDPs to your native land.
We were preparing and strengthening our country, we werestrengthening our economy and creating a strong army. Mostimportantly, we have raised and brought up the young generation wholiberated Shusha, our source of pride today, and other occupiedlands at the cost of their lives. We have raised an educated,knowledgeable, patriotic, physically strong, morally healthy andpure young generation, and they liberated these lands by puttingtheir lives on the line for 44 days on my order. We are very muchindebted to them for this day, we are indebted to our gloriousArmy, we are indebted to our Armed Forces, we are indebted to ourmartyrs and disabled veterans. May Allah rest the souls of all ourmartyrs in peace.
The people of Azerbaijan have demonstrated such heroism andself-sacrifice that, today the whole world talks about the sons ofAzerbaijan and shows respect for our nation. Because we haverestored our right not through negotiations, not at the expense ofany concessions from someone, but on the battlefield. We haveliberated our cities and villages, we have shed blood and we havehad martyrs. All the people of Azerbaijan were as united as a fistfor 44 days.
The contemptible enemy had committed a miscalculation. They wereso convinced of their own myths that they thought they would beable to keeps our lands under occupation forever. Their patronsbehind them, the great states further reinforced this confidence inthem. But we were sure, we knew that the day would come and wewould return to our native lands.
For many years as President, I tried to resolve this issuethrough negotiations. My activity is obvious, dozens, perhaps evenhundreds of meetings and rounds of negotiations were held. Butthere was no result. Why? Because Armenia, I want to say thisagain, wanted to keep our lands under occupation forever. Thecountries behind them, the alleged mediators wanted to make thisoccupation permanent.
The 44-day Patriotic War is part of our glorious history, andthe people of Azerbaijan will forever be proud of this Victory. For44 days, we were moving forward every single day. Unlike theArmenian army, not a single soldier of ours left the battlefield to their own confessions, they had about 12,000deserters. Our soldiers and officers advanced every day. Thevictory achieved on the first day of the war, the liberation ofseveral villages, continued all the way until the last day, and theliberation of Shusha on November 8, 2020 broke the enemy's back enemy already realized that they were no longer able to resistand after that signed an act of capitulation, which was practicallya surrender. We stopped the war right then. Because I had beenstating from the first days of the war that the enemy should giveus a timetable of when they would vacate our lands, and then wewere ready to stop the war.
During those days, I received many calls from differentcapitals, various proposals were put forward, and some even triedto threaten me. However, I was firm in my conviction, and I wassaying it both during those phone calls and in my addresses to thepeople of Azerbaijan: a timetable must be provided of when theenemy is getting out of our lands and then we would be ready tostop the war, and so it happened. In the early hours of November10, 2020, Armenia signed the act of capitulation and the warstopped.
As you know, during the war, I gave interviews to a number offoreign media representatives and, of course, the questions weredifferent. Of course, I could not say anything about our plans forthe war. I was once asked about Shusha, and I said that our workwould be incomplete without Shusha, and I think everyone understoodthat we were not going to stop until Shusha was liberated. Shushais a symbol of our indomitable spirit. Shusha has left such a bigmark in the hearts of every Azerbaijani citizen that the war couldnot have ended successfully without Shusha.
As a result of the anti-terror operation, we liberated ourhistorical and ancestral lands from the invaders. We showed thepower of our state and its strong political will again. We carriedout the operation with great professionalism, skill and dedication,without reckoning with anyone, without considering anything andfearing anyone. Thus, Azerbaijan fully restored its statesovereignty.
A new history of Shusha begins today. I said in my address tothe nation on November 8, 2020 that we would revive Shusha. Todaywe are seeing a reviving Shusha. It is not only about thesebeautiful buildings, there is a lot of large-scale constructiongoing on in Shusha. Today, on the birthday of the National Leader,the foundation stone of a third residential complex was laid. Thefoundation of a second residential complex was laid on May 10 lastyear. A total of 450 apartments will be built in this firstresidential complex, about 300 in the second and about 500 in thethird. A part of it is already finished. You will move into theseapartments today. All the buildings have a beautiful architecturalstyle – the traditional style of Shusha. The conditions are verynice, and I am sure that after a long pause, the residents ofShusha will live here comfortably, create, build and preserve thehistorical image of their hometown.
Construction work in Shusha actually commenced immediately afterthe Second Karabakh War. First of all, the road to Shusha had to bebuilt. Because you know perfectly well that before the occupation,the road to Shusha passed through Khankendi. Therefore, the VictoryRoad was built from Fuzuli to Shusha in a short period of time. Awider highway is now under construction. A beautiful four-lane roadwith seven tunnels, nine viaducts and a number of bridges is underconstruction, and it will probably be ready by the end of nextyear. The restoration of Shusha's historical monuments startedimmediately. First, Vagif's mausoleum was rebuilt and its originalappearance was restored. Then the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque andthen the Saatli Mosque were restored. Today, we opened the MamayiMosque after restoration. Restoration work has already started inthe Chol Gala Mosque. The Mehmandarov Mosque and Mehmandarov'sHouse have been restored. Four hotels are already in operation. Thebiggest of them, the five-star Shusha hotel reflects the modernappearance of Shusha. And yet the hotel was built in the style oftraditional Shusha architecture. Also today, the Shirinsu Bath wasopened after major renovation. The repair and restoration in theAshaghi Govhar Agha Mosque are nearing completion. The monument toUzeyir Hajibayli, which was destroyed by the savage enemy, was putback in its place. The bust of Vagif destroyed by the Armenians wasrestored to its previous appearance and form. The reconstruction ofUzeyir Hajibayli's house destroyed by the Armenians is in progress,it will be ready this year. Several other important events tookplace.
The revival of Shusha is in full swing. Everything is built onthe basis of a very detailed and precise plan and in accordancewith the most advanced urban planning rules. We have involved theworld's leading companies in the restoration and reconstructionwork not only for Shusha, but also for all our liberated lands, sothat people who used to live in harsh conditions for many years –in tents, dormitories, kindergartens and unsuitable buildings – cannow live well and comfortably. In parallel with this, we are alsodealing with employment issues both in Shusha and other towns andcities that have already been built, trainings are held. We areseriously dealing with and resolving employment issues for thosewho will return here.
The regions of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur will become one ofthe most beautiful places not only in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus,but also of the whole world – the most modern, the most comfortableand the most beautiful. The nature of this place, its spectacularviews, the scenery and water springs are complemented by modernand, at the same time, traditional buildings. A wonderful city willemerge here, I am sure each of us, every Azerbaijani will be proudof. I want to say again that we are implementing large-scaleprograms in all liberated territories. Today, Shusha is already thesixth residential area to which former IDPs are returning. FormerIDPs are also expected to return to the village of Sus in Lachintoday, so life will be brought back to at least 20 residentialareas before the end of this year.
May 10 is a dear day for each one of us, including myself, ofcourse – it is the birthday of the National Leader. His biggestdream was to see these realities, to put an end to the occupation,and it was thanks to his activity that we embarked on a path ofdevelopment. You, or the older generation, remember only too wellwhat was happening before that – anarchy, arbitrariness, chaos,struggle for power, and the placement of incompetent, cowardly andtreacherous people in the government. All this was the reason forthe occupation of a city like Shusha and other cities and villagesof our country. Random people had assumed power. People from thestreet who had no education, no experience in public affairs and noknowledge got the positions of ministers of defense, secretaries ofstate, speakers of parliament and president, and the people ofAzerbaijan suffered the bitter consequences of that. I wonder whatfeelings that individual who promised to defend Shusha or shoothimself in the head is experiencing now. I am sure he is not happyabout this day at all. People like him, the leftovers of thePFPA-Musavat duo who aspired to come to power at the time, the vastmajority of them were not happy about our victory and actuallyregretted it. They are still trying to cast a shadow on our Victoryto this day. They collude with the Armenians in an attempt tobelittle our Victory and cast a shadow on it. It was because oftheir aspiration to power and the treachery and cowardice of thethen government that Shusha was occupied. No major forces wereneeded to defend Shusha – you know that perfectly well. Shusha wasleft completely exposed and the surrender of Shusha to the enemypaved the way for the Popular Front's ascent to power. Look atthose dates, those historic events. After a few days, they came topower, overthrew the government, staged a coup. They sacrificedShusha, then Lachin and then Kalbajar in order to turn the people'slegitimate protests in their own favor. Thus, the formerNagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region was de facto joined to Armeniafrom a geographical point of view.
The people of Azerbaijan showed their greatness again in 1993 people appealed to the National Leader and invited him to takepower. Because the people of Azerbaijan were aware that only HeydarAliyev could save them from those misfortunes. The ceasefirereached in 1994 was an enforced measure – we could never put upwith the ceasefire, neither my father nor I. He did not live to seethis day. We, his followers, have fulfilled his and the Azerbaijanipeople's dream and achieved this historic Victory. We showed theenemy their place, and today the enemy is helpless in front of us, on our demand only, four villages of Gazakh district arebeing returned to us without us having to resort to any othermeans, so to speak. They will be returned to us on our demand, andthis is the way it should be. And it will be like this from now on have the say here, we are the leading state in the Caucasus, weare the leading state economically, politically, militarily, in allaspects, and everyone should reckon with us. Both Armenia and theforeign circles behind it, those giving them false promises, willregret if they do not reckon with us.
Today, the lands of the Gazakh district, occupied in 1990 and1992, are being returned to us without a single shot being fired process of delimitation and demarcation is underway on ourterms, and this is yet another victory of ours.
We never wanted war, and we don't want it today either. We don'tneed war, we needed our lands back. The activities of the MinskGroup in 28 years were aimed against the people of Azerbaijan false promises and inaction were not accidental. They did notwant to solve the problem. They promised these lands to theArmenians. Just like the pro-Armenian Gorbachev in Soviet times andthen Yeltsin promised these lands to the Armenians, so did Franceand America. Even today, notice who is playing the main fiddleagainst us – France and America. We must clearly say that France isparticularly active. And they should also know that no issue can beresolved in this region contrary to our will. The visit of someambassador to Shusha should not be portrayed as a favor to us. Ifthey come, let them come, but if they don't, it's not evennecessary. As if something might change with their arrival, nothingwill change. We have a say here in this land. Our policy is basedon international law and justice. If we see revengeful forcesraising their head again in Armenia, if France gives deadly weaponsto Armenia and if we see that these weapons reach a critical level,then, let no one have any hard feelings. In any case, everyoneknows what we are capable of, what our Army is capable of and howstrong our determination is. No one can stand in front of us. Noone can dictate anything to us or interfere in our internalaffairs. We will do what we think is right. After the SecondKarabakh War, we told Armenia that let's define the border fairly you don't want that, then we will say where we want there to bea border. What will he do, who will he call, let him call 100times, but what will the result be? I want to say again to both thepeople of Azerbaijan and those interested in this region that nostep should be taken here without our approval. I am sure they willhear my words. They know that I do what I say.
Today's holiday, a double holiday for me and for all of us,shows again that we are peace-loving and creative people. TheArmenians devastated Shusha and tried to Armenianize it. Today, Isaw a cross on one of the pillars inside the Ashaghi Govhar AghaMosque while reviewing its renovation. Can there be a cross in amosque? Don't those who have been turning a blind eye to this,those who have been accusing us of some criminal deeds see this?Don't they see that they turned the Aghdam Mosque into a stable?They destroyed 16 of Shusha's 17 mosques and tried to portray oneas a mosque belonging to another nation. As soon as we got backhere, we immediately got rid of the repairs that had supposedlybeen done there and rebuilt it. All our cities and villages weredestroyed by vandals. Nobody wants to see that. But everyone shouldand will see it. Because neither we nor the world will forget theArmenian vandalism. No matter how hard they tried to ArmenianizeShusha, they could not achieve it. Because Shusha has been anAzerbaijani city since time immemorial and preserved itsAzerbaijani image even during the occupation. If Armeniansconsidered it their hometown, they would have built Shusha, notdestroyed it. Not a single stone has been left untouched. We havecome to live here forever, and from now on the Azerbaijani flagwill fly in these lands forever.
I heartily congratulate you again. I wish you all happiness andgood health. Live here comfortably.
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