Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the opening residential complex for IDP families in Absheron district

Dear friends, another important step is being taken today to address the problems of internally displaced persons. Together we celebrate the commissioning of a new settlement consisting of a thousand apartments. I sincerely congratulate you on this occasion.

It is a beautiful settlement located on a large area. More than 20 multi-storey residential buildings have been constructed here. There is a kindergarten, a medical center, a community center, a great school for 800 students – in other words, all the opportunities and conditions for a normal life are available. The commissioning of this settlement shows again that the problems of refugees are always in the spotlight. This is a priority issue for us.

In recent years, we have taken major steps to resolve the problems of internally displaced persons. About 300,000 IDPs have been provided with new apartments and houses. The state has spent a huge amount on these goals, and this is natural. I have always said that the problems of internally displaced persons are in the forefront among social issues.

A lot has been done in this direction in the current year. This year, houses and apartments for 5,800 displaced families have been built and handed over for use. The process of placement of IDPs in these houses and apartments has already begun. This is a record figure. Every year we provide homes and apartments to thousands of IDP families. I want to say again that this issue has been addressed at the highest level this year. Our task is to ensure that all IDP families live in normal conditions. A lot is being done in this direction in Baku, in Absheron district, in Sumgayit and other cities and districts. In recent years, more than a hundred IDP settlements have been built and commissioned. However, it is also true that we still have IDPs living in dire straits. Their problems will also be resolved. At present, the State Committee for Refugees and Forced Migrants continues to work in this direction, lists are being updated and preparations are being made for work to be done next year. Fairly large funds are envisaged in next year’s spending program.

I should also note there has also been an innovation in addressing day-to-day problems of IDPs this year. It is about the private sector building apartments for IDPs. A good example of this is the opening of an IDP settlement "Gobu Park" this year. There too, new buildings and houses have been constructed for more than a thousand families. The entire infrastructure has been created. This project has been executed and funded by the private sector.

This gives us grounds to say that social responsibility of businesses is growing. I do hope that our major businesses will help the displaced persons in these matters in the coming years. Of course, the state has taken over the key work. In recent years, billions of manats have been spent to resolve the problems of IDPs and increase their employment. However, well-to-do companies should have their say in this matter, of course, and we are seeing that. I do hope that businesses will have their say in this issue next year.

This year, new IDP settlements have been established in several places. Among them I would like to highlight two projects. This year, the second stage of work in Jojug Marjanli settlement has been completed. As you know, I attended the opening of an IDP settlement in Jojug Marjanli last year. We celebrated the opening of 50 houses then. We set the task of increasing the number of houses. This year, we built another 100 houses. Of course, this is a historic event because life is reviving in Jojug Marjanli after a long break. Our people live, work and build on their native land. As you know, the entire infrastructure has been created there. We have built roads, power lines, a school and an analogue of the Shusha mosque destroyed by the Armenians. There are also excellent conditions for doing business. Currently, the settlement consisting of 150 houses has become a symbol of our determination. The existence and reconstruction of this settlement show that the Azerbaijani people will never put up with occupation. All IDPs cherish one dream and one goal – to return to their homes as soon as possible. We see this in the example of Jojug Marjanli. Residents of Jojug Marjanli who lived in other places for many years returned to their native village as soon as the opportunity presented itself, of course. Even children and teenagers who did not see this settlement have now returned to Jojug Marjanli with great enthusiasm. They are building their own lives there, on their native land.

Another project is a settlement built in the village of Shikharkh of Tartar District. It consists of approximately 1,200 apartments. High-rise buildings have been constructed. The significance of this project lies in the fact that such a large and beautiful settlement has been built on the lands that were once under occupation and were then liberated. Of course, the commissioning of any IDP settlement is an important event which delights us and the IDPs. But I wanted to highlight these two projects because we have created these wonderful settlements on the lands liberated from the invaders. This shows yet again that we will restore all our cities and districts destroyed by the Armenians after the liberation of our lands from occupation. We have sufficient strength and determination to do that. I want to say again that our policy is to support the solution of IDP problems. I am sure that after the liberation of all the lands that are still under occupation today, beautiful cities and villages will be built on these lands again. The people of Azerbaijan will not come to terms with this occupation.

Armenia’s occupying policy has put them in a difficult position. The whole world can see that today. The events taking place in the region also confirm this. Armenia’s criminal regime which had usurped power for many years, for twenty years, has fallen. The main reason for this is their aggressive policy. We have set ourselves the goal: this criminal regime must fall. and we achieved this. We achieved this by using all available means. I have repeatedly said this and want to say it again today: we have made a contribution to the collapse of the regime of the criminal and corrupt junta. As long as our lands are under occupation, first of all, we keep and will continue to keep them in isolation. On the other hand, Armenian economy has no foundations. We have isolated them from all regional projects, and this process continues. The economic situation in Armenia is very difficult, and the main reason for the events that took place there this year is poverty, injustice and arbitrariness. Armenia is in a very difficult situation also in demographic terms. According to the data we have, as a result of their policy of occupation, at least more than a million citizens left the country for good.

I do hope that Armenian society and the new leadership of Armenia understand that any economic development in Armenia would be possible only after normalization of relations with Azerbaijan. This normalization depends on the liberation of our lands – this is the main condition.

Meanwhile, we are increasing our strength and power. I should also note that our military victories have also played an important part in the fall of Armenia’s criminal regime. In particular, as a result of the April battles and our other subsequent successful operations, the myth created by the former leadership of Armenia about its army was shattered to pieces. The Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijani soldiers showed that we are winning also on the battlefield. Our military victories have played a special role in the fall of the criminal regime of Armenia.

We are entering 2019 and hope that this year may become important for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But let's see how events unfold. Our principled position remains unchanged. The territorial integrity of our country must be unconditionally secured and restored, the occupying forces must unconditionally withdraw from our lands. This is demanded by justice, history and international law. What I am saying is reflected in the resolutions of the UN Security Council: the occupying forces must unconditionally withdraw from the occupied lands. Of course, we will intensify our efforts in this direction on the international plane. The talks I have had with the heads of state and government of many countries on the basis of bilateral contacts and the documents signed express respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country and the demand to settle the conflict on the basis of these principles. At the same time, the document signed with the European Union contains very serious statements on the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the borders of our country. In other words, our position is supported by both historical and legal grounds. Of course, Armenia and Azerbaijan today are countries that are in different categories in economic and military terms. At the same time, the processes ongoing in the region, our strengthening relations with neighboring countries are changing the situation in the region in our favor. In other words, all these factors suggest that certain steps related to the conflict will be taken in 2019. It is too early to talk about anything but one thing is clear: we will not back down from our principled position. The restoration of our territorial integrity by any means is our sovereign right. Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied lands adjacent to it are our ancestral and historical lands. This is the case today and will be the case tomorrow. In the early 1990s, as a result of the negligent and treacherous activities of the PFPA-Musavat tandem which had seized power in Azerbaijan, our lands fell under occupation. We will use all available opportunities to resolve this issue. The growing strength of our country nears the day when such beautiful settlements will be built on lands that are now under occupation.

This is a temporary place of residence for you. Of course, it is our duty to create good conditions here. I know that the people who will live here used to live in very difficult conditions. There are excellent conditions here now. Nevertheless, it is a temporary place of residence, the day will come when such beautiful settlements will be opened on lands that are under occupation today.

I want to congratulate you on this wonderful occasion. I wish you a Happy New Year and the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis. Thank you!