Azerbaijani leader: We must rely only on ourselves and the state

Over the past 23 years, Azerbaijan has undergone a remarkable transformation, well known to its people, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the opening ceremony of the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum, entitled "The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust," Report informs.

"I have been in the presidential office for nearly 23 years, and during these years, the Azerbaijani people have witnessed how far the country has come. I have made many addresses to the Azerbaijani people - during the occupation, during the war, and after the war. Of course, the content of these addresses differed because we were in different situations. During the occupation period, during numerous meetings with former internally displaced persons, I urged them not to lose hope, to keep steadfast, and to believe me that we would return to these lands. As the years passed, I could see that their hopes were gradually fading, and the longing and despair in people's eyes became more noticeable. I could not tell them when or what would happen; I just said believe, and they did believe. Seventeen years is not a short period – for 17 years they believed my words and waited, and supported the work being carried out," the president noted.

The head of state noted that the post-war period was very difficult: "Because the results of the war had to be accepted by the world community, and there were enough forces, states, circles, and individuals who did not want to accept it. Various intrigues were organized to either take our victory away from us, or leave it incomplete, or keep Azerbaijan in a dependent position so that we would not achieve the full restoration of justice – we remember all of this well.

In my addresses, I said that we should not celebrate the victory in this war just yet; let us be active, because there is much work to be done. A group of former internally displaced persons also believed these words and waited for the day to come when they would return to their native ancestral lands. The day before yesterday, I met with a group of them. I told them that when we achieved victory in the war in 2020, these lands were still under occupation, but you believed that the day would come and you would return to these lands.

The main thread of my addresses has always remained unchanged. We can only rely on ourselves. Although Azerbaijan has had very great resources, previously, none of them, in the true sense of the word, played a role in the development of the Azerbaijani people. Because we contributed more to the all-Union budget and received nothing in return. Our oil was taken away, and the city of Sumgayit had suffered an ecological disaster. When the Soviet Union collapsed, everything was left in ruins, and our lands had been lost. In this sense, we must rely only on ourselves and the state, and unity must never be shaken. It is difficult to find a picture similar to the unity that exists in Azerbaijani society today, because it comes from the minds and hearts of the people."