Those who once declared “Karabakh is Armenia, period” at a stadium in Khankendi were eventually forced to say “Karabakh is Azerbaijan,” President Ilham Aliyev said during a meeting with residents who have resettled in the Aghdam district.
Speaking to locals, Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan defeated Armenia in the 44-day war, a victory he said is now symbolically engraved on the steps of the Triumphal Arch recently inaugurated in Khankendi.
“In just 44 days, we crushed Armenia. Each of those days is recorded on the steps of the Triumphal Arch that I opened today in Khankendi. I am confident that you and all citizens of Azerbaijan will visit it. Today, our country has its second Triumphal Arch – after Baku, now in Khankendi,” the president said. “Each step marks a day of our victorious advance. Every day we moved forward, liberating cities and villages, and no force was able to stop us.”
Aliyev said that during the fighting, various external actors attempted to pressure Azerbaijan, issue threats, stage provocations, and halt its advance.
“Their goal was to intimidate us, stop us, disrupt our victorious march, and turn the conflict into a permanent one. They failed,” he said.
According to the president, Azerbaijan’s full restoration of sovereignty in 2023, following what he described as an anti-terrorist operation, forced even the country’s opponents to accept the new reality.
“Those who could not accept our Victory, who could not come to terms with it, including pro-Armenian forces, were compelled to recognize today’s realities. The Armenian state itself had no choice but to accept this situation,” Aliyev stated.
He emphasized that the phrase once uttered in Khankendi – “Karabakh is Armenia, period” – was replaced not voluntarily, but under pressure from Azerbaijan’s people and state.
“They were forced to say ‘Karabakh is Azerbaijan.’ We must never forget this history. The older generation, which lived through those bitter days, will never forget it. The younger generation must not forget it either. Future generations must know it by heart – in schools, universities, and within families. This is our glorious Victory,” Aliyev said, adding that remembering the past is essential to ensuring lasting peace and security.
Aliyev also spoke about Azerbaijan’s broader geopolitical position following the conflict.
“We know who our friends were and who our enemies were. Unfortunately, we had far more enemies than friends. But today, our firm will, political decisions, and the strength of our Armed Forces have created an entirely new reality,” he said.
He noted that the military victory achieved five years ago was finalized two years ago and subsequently confirmed at international organizations. Aliyev also pointed to the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which he described as having been pushed into “the archive of history” at Azerbaijan’s insistence.
“At the beginning of this month, it was officially dissolved along with all related institutions. This was also our demand. The Armenian side resisted this for nearly five years, but once again, no one was able to resist our will,” the president said.
According to Aliyev, the new realities were formally reinforced in August with the participation of the president of a leading global power, marking what he described as the irreversible international confirmation of Azerbaijan’s Victory.
“This brought an end to separatism, territorial claims, and the open ‘cold war’ waged by anti-Azerbaijani forces against us. The book of separatism has been closed, and for several months now, the Azerbaijani people have been living in peace,” he concluded.
