Ilham Aliyev attended inauguration of Victory Park in Baku

On November 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their son Heydar Aliyev attended the opening of Victory Park in Baku.

The head of state raised the tricolor State Flag of Azerbaijan at the park.

They laid a wreath and flowers at the Victory Monument here.

The President then addressed the nation.

Address by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear compatriots,

Azerbaijan celebrates the Victory Day today. I sincerely congratulate all the people of Azerbaijan. I congratulate the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan on this occasion.

On this day so dear to us all, I pray for Allah’s mercy for our heroic martyrs who gave their lives for the Motherland. May Allah rest the souls of all our martyrs in peace!

We avenged the blood of our martyrs on the battlefield. The 44-day Patriotic War is our glorious history, our brilliant Victory. We avenged the blood of the martyrs of both the First Karabakh War and the Second Karabakh War, as well as the anti-terrorist operation, on the battlefield, and restored our territorial integrity and sovereignty.

For 44 days, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan only moved forward. Going forward every single day, every single hour, we liberated more than 300 towns and villages from the invaders on the battlefield and forced the enemy to sign the act of capitulation. The liberation of our cities and villages in a matter of 44 days demonstrated to the whole world the strength of our Army, the professionalism of our servicemen, the dedication and determination of our people.

Although our lands remained under occupation for 30 years, the Azerbaijani people and the Azerbaijani leadership never came to terms with this occupation. Yet many countries backing Armenia resorted to various methods to coerce us into accepting this occupation. The people of Azerbaijan remember well the great powers, the mediators who were allegedly trying to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, repeatedly insisting that there was no military solution to this issue.

What were they trying to say to the people of Azerbaijan? They wanted us to accept this occupation. That was exactly their plan - not to resolve the issue, not to end the occupation, but to keep Azerbaijani lands under Armenian occupation indefinitely. We saw it, and we knew it. As the years passed, as each round of negotiations ended in failure, both the Azerbaijani leadership and the Azerbaijani people witnessed it firsthand. But we could not accept that situation. Back in 2003, when I was first elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I declared that we would restore our territorial integrity at any cost. The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan would not be open to negotiation, and time has proven me right.

We were preparing, building a strong army and securing economic development, because, unlike Armenia, we did not receive any external assistance. We relied solely on our own strength. Our economic development, our significant political influence, our ability to speak decisively on international platforms, the unity between the government and the people, the upbringing of the younger generation, and the cultivation of a spirit of patriotism within society—all these factors led us to victory. A combination of all these factors made this Victory possible. In just 44 days, our heroic sons, our soldiers, bravely put their lives on the line, breaking through six to seven of the enemy’s defensive lines. They demonstrated to the entire world the indomitable spirit, strength, and determination of the Azerbaijani people. We forced the enemy to sign the act of capitulation. That enemy once declared in Khankendi in 2019 that “Karabakh is Armenia, full stop.” But we forced that enemy to acknowledge that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!” today - and the enemy will say this again in the future, however reluctantly.

Some of Armenia’s Western patrons now want to portray Armenia as a “peace dove”—as if the 30-year occupation had never happened, as if there were no destruction, no atrocities, no Khojaly Genocide. As if our mosques and cemeteries had not been destroyed, and as if all of Karabakh and East Zangezur had not been razed to the ground.

In other words, they want to make the world forget about it. But we will never forget that, the people of Azerbaijan must never forget this. The generations coming after us must know this history and must never forget it. Just as we did not forget Karabakh for 30 years, just as our people were bringing this Victory closer for 30 years by pursuing this goal. This historical memory must never fade from our minds.

During the war, Armenia committed war crimes, bombed our peaceful cities. Every day, our cities and villages were subjected to artillery fire using “Iskander M”, “Tochka U”, “Elbrus” and other long-range destructive weapons. This, however, did not affect the resolve of the Azerbaijani people in the slightest. On the contrary, our fellow citizens who retrieved the bodies of their loved ones from the rubble lived with a single goal—the war must not stop. We ended the war at the right time. On the first day of the war, I stated that the enemy should provide a timetable for withdrawing from our lands—specifying when they would withdraw and from which district—and then we would stop the war.

However, some people—understandably—were concerned that Azerbaijan's leadership might not withstand the pressure of international pro-Armenian forces. Our people worried that our work might remain unfinished. This was only natural, as Azerbaijan is not a particularly large country. For 30 years, the co-chairs of the Minsk Group backed Armenia: one provided free weapons, another provided financial support, and one offered both weapons and funds, along with political backing - all aimed at keeping our lands under occupation indefinitely.

Therefore, of course, some Azerbaijanis were concerned that the war might remain unfinished, that we might not achieve our goals. That someone would intervene to stop us. But I said, no - no one can stop us. We would rather die than stop. We will fight to the end, restore justice, uphold international law, and show Armenia its place.

On November 8, 2020, the historic Shusha operation broke the enemy’s back. Only one day later, in the early hours of November 10, Armenia was forced to sign the act of capitulation, and we stopped the war.

Today's reality, our present-day successes show that it was the only right step. We liberated Aghdam, Kalbadjar and Lachin districts from occupation without a single shot fired. As a result of focused, calculated policy and decisive steps, we significantly strengthened our political, strategic, and military positions. After securing control over key heights, the fate of the separatist group and their backers in Karabakh and Armenia became clear - they would either submit to the laws of Azerbaijan, surrender, or die.

We gave them a choice, but they still didn't make the right decision. They believed again that someone would come to their rescue, that someone would prevent Azerbaijan from doing its rightful work. The anti-terrorist operation in September 2023, which lasted only a few hours, was yet another lesson for them. Thus, separatism was eradicated and that chapter was closed. There are no more traces of separatists in the land of Karabakh.

This entire glorious history was written by the people of Azerbaijan with their blood and strength. During and after the Patriotic War, as well as during and after the anti-terrorist operation, we forced the enemy to return the four villages in the Gazakh district that they had occupied in the early 1990s. This did not happen willingly. Yes, no force was used, but there was no need for it. I believe the outcome of the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terrorist operation was sufficient for Armenia to take the right steps.

Nevertheless, there is one important issue here: we must not forget that the anti-Azerbaijan forces, who cannot accept this situation, along with Islamophobes and Azerbaijanophobes in certain Western capitals, are inciting Armenia to start a new war. That could lead to an utter tragedy for the Armenian state. I have repeatedly tried to explain to the Armenian side, both in my official remarks and during my contacts, that they should stay away from this and not fall for these provocations. To secure their own interests, certain Western states that consider themselves friends of Armenia are ready to sacrifice them, keeping the conflict alive in the South Caucasus, fostering more bloodshed, so they can continue to fish in the murky waters.

It is not too late, so Armenia should abandon this policy of rearmament; it must be stopped. I have said this many times, and they know they should pay attention to my words. It’s not too late; they should change course, as they will never be able to compete with us. We don’t want war. We have achieved what we wanted: we have ensured our territorial integrity and state sovereignty. Our territorial integrity is secured along all borders, and former IDPs and refugees are returning to their ancestral lands.

We are now focused on reconstruction efforts. This is our top priority. However, when we see that Armenia and the forces behind it - those who view Azerbaijan as an enemy and have declared a cold war on us - are arming Armenia, and Armenia is arming itself, we are forced to take the necessary steps. A thirty-year history of occupation cannot be erased from our memory, and as I said earlier, it never should be. We must be, and are, ready for new provocations at any moment. The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan are ready to repel any provocation at any time. If someone tries to test our strength again, they will be defeated once more and disgraced. Because the 44-day Patriotic War, the anti-terrorist operation, and our Victory, in general, are not only about Armenia’s defeat but also about a bitter and humiliating defeat for those behind them.

This is what they cannot forgive us. That is why a large-scale and heinous campaign has been unleashed against Azerbaijan in the West. Discrediting our country, spreading unthinkable lies, defaming, blackmailing, slandering, and insulting Azerbaijan through media resources and non-governmental organizations under their control, which are a source of fake news – these are the goals of Western countries and failed Western leaders who consider themselves humiliated.

These are the ugly methods they are using. The people of Azerbaijan are fully aware of this, and the people of Armenia should also know who their real enemy is. It is not us. We didn’t do them any harm. We gave them bread. They lived in our lands and made a life for themselves, although they were resettled here only in the 19th century. What did we do wrong?

They are the ones who committed genocide against us - the Khojaly Genocide. For thirty years, they destroyed all our cities and villages, desecrated and demolished our mosques, and planted mines across that entire region. More than three hundred people have already become victims of mines in Azerbaijan. Therefore, we are not their enemies; their true enemies are the politicians who stand behind them and then run away like cowards. Let them hear my words carefully.

In the meantime, we will continue to grow stronger. No pressure or intimidation has affected us to this day, and it never will. The unity of the nation and the government is the primary source of our strength. The developing Azerbaijan is a source of pride for us, and our glorious Victory is our historic achievement, our historic triumph.

Today, on Victory Day, Victory Park was opened in one of the most beautiful locations in our city. The beautiful Victory Arch, the Victory Monument, and a beautiful park covering an area of nearly 10 hectares have already been built. The Victory Museum is currently under construction, with its design in progress. A future Victory Museum will also be located there. In this beautiful location, one of the most scenic spots in our city, a new symbol of our glorious Victory is being created. The Victory Arch is located at the intersection of two roads leading into downtown. It has a modern style and a majestic appearance. It is 44 meters high, and the number of its pillars is also 44. There are many important symbols in this park and the future museum. These symbols will be with us forever. This Victory will be with us forever. From now on, the people of Azerbaijan will live as a victorious nation, and the state of Azerbaijan will live as a victorious state.

Long live the people of Azerbaijan, long live the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, Karabakh is Azerbaijan!