The interview given by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to Azerbaijan Television on August 11, within the framework of his visit to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, also attracted the attention of the Armenian press.
Modern.az reports that Ilham Aliyev's statements during the interview on issues such as Armenia signing the act of capitulation as a result of the Second Karabakh War, the inclusion of the issue of opening the Zangezur corridor in the trilateral statement, and the importance of closing the Metsamor NPP, were published in the leading media outlets of the neighboring country.
Armenian media outlets particularly highlighted the following points of the interview.
Ilham Aliyev: "As you know, the creation of the Zangezur corridor was our initiative. It has been our long-standing dream to connect the main part of Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, which is an integral part of it. We were confidently and skillfully moving towards this goal, approaching it, and we have already approached it.
Of course, you remember, a trilateral statement was signed in connection with the end of the Second Karabakh War - by the President of Azerbaijan, the President of Russia, and the Prime Minister of Armenia. In fact, this was an act of capitulation for Armenia, because Armenia surrendered. At that time, Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin regions, which were still under occupation - we had not yet liberated those regions through war - were returned to us without a single shot. Of course, Armenia did not do this voluntarily, we forced it. If you force someone in a state of war, it means that party capitulates. Therefore, there is no need to look for any demeaning or insulting meaning in this term. This is simply a reality. We must know history as it is, we must not forget it, and we must never allow the distortion of history, those attempts."
What the President of Azerbaijan said about the trilateral negotiations held on November 10, 2020, after the liberation of Shusha, with the mediation of the Russian president, and the signing of the trilateral statement, also particularly attracted the attention of Armenian journalists:
"At that time - on November 9, after Shusha was liberated from occupation, trilateral negotiations were held through the President of Russia. I strongly insisted that the corridor connecting the main part of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic must be reflected in the statement to be signed. The Armenian side did not want to agree to this. However, it did not have many alternatives either. If the war had continued, of course, we would have suffered losses, but Armenia would have suffered more losses. Because their troops were almost surrounded, and it was practically completely possible to destroy them. Therefore, even if they did not want it, Armenia agreed to it, and that statement is known to everyone, there is a special clause there."
Armenian media also published the notes of the President of Azerbaijan about the importance of closing the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). At this time, attention was paid to Ilham Aliyev's warning about "the risk of an energy crisis in Armenia after the closure of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant." The statement of the President of Azerbaijan that Baku is ready to provide Armenia with an additional source of electricity was highlighted in the headlines of the neighboring country's press:
"Our provision of the Zangezur corridor with concrete projects has a broader meaning. Of course, when we put forward the Zangezur corridor - this idea and this initiative, primarily the transport segment was intended. But today we look at it more broadly. For example, we have a ready project for laying power lines from the main part of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan through the territory of Armenia. A very large substation has been built in the liberated Jabrayil region. The main function of that substation is transmission activity. That is, such substations are called converter substations. This was built not for internal supply, but for the transmission of large volumes of energy. It is ready. It was built specifically for the Zangezur electricity corridor.
As a result of the analysis carried out by our specialists in the territory of Armenia, even the locations were determined - where electricity poles should be installed. I hope that the Armenian side will not delay this issue either. Because this may be necessary for them first. Because their main energy source today is the nuclear power plant. Its management is not in their hands. This is the first. Secondly, this station is old and is a source of danger for the entire region. Azerbaijan and Turkey have repeatedly expressed their concerns about this issue on various international platforms. The extension of the life of that station cannot be an endless process, it must be closed sooner or later. Of course, if it closes, Armenia will completely plunge into an energy crisis. Therefore, as they say, having an additional source can only bring good.
For example, today our energy lines are connected with Russia, Iran, Georgia, and through Georgia with Turkey. Therefore, the energy corridor that will extend from the territory of Armenia to Nakhchivan, and then to Turkey and Europe, will also allow Armenia's energy system to remain standing - if a crisis arises. Therefore, the sooner we implement this, the better."
