Affirming Azerbaijan's sovereignty, military resilience, and bright future ahead Essential points from President Aliyev’s parliamentary speech

The inaugural session of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan's VII convocation took place on September 23. As per tradition, President Ilham Aliyev attended the meeting and delivered a speech to the deputies. This address can be viewed as a strategic speech that tackles the urgent challenges facing our society today. This article will focus on the political themes raised by the President.

A key aspect of the President’s speech is the extensive discussion of the geopolitical landscape in the region following Azerbaijan's victory and the resolution with Armenia. He underscored the resurgence of revanchism in Armenia, which demands particular attention in light of the destructive trends unfolding globally. These trends are undermining the principles of international law and threatening the stability of the security architecture established after the Second World War.

Aliyev stressed that the desire for revenge is not limited to marginal political factions but extends to the Armenian authorities as well. He highlighted Yerevan's attempts to maintain the OSCE Minsk Group, which he deemed functionally irrelevant, indicating that Armenia refuses to accept the resolution of the Karabakh issue. The President further pointed out concerning factors, such as the backing of certain countries for Armenia, whose actions, decisions, resolutions, and statements demonstrate that "the dirty game against us is not over yet."

Aliyev also remarked that Armenia is deliberately prolonging the peace process, referencing Yerevan's slow response to Baku's recent draft peace agreement and its complete exclusion of non-agreed provisions from its own proposed draft — suggesting that merely omitting these points would resolve significant issues.

According to Aliyev, these elements, combined with the support for Armenia in its military buildup and its insistence on revisiting an already settled Karabakh issue, illustrate that Armenia is not genuinely seeking peace but is instead stalling to enhance its military strength for potential retaliation.

Hence, the President's call to remain vigilant: “Foreign circles unable to digest our Victory are preparing new plans against us.” It is no coincidence that Ilham Aliyev elaborated on the importance of strengthening our state's military power. He highlighted that since the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan has significantly enhanced its military capabilities, establishing new armed formations and multiplying the number of special forces, including the creation of new commandos and other specialized units.

Tasks have been outlined to actively develop the local military-industrial complex, which includes the large-scale modernization of military facilities, the production of new equipment, weapons, and ammunition, and the establishment of new production sites in collaboration with foreign partners. Strengthening the military-industrial complex not only showcases the strength and advancement of our country but also reduces reliance on foreign supply sources. The technological innovations being implemented enhance the overall intellectual capacity, lead to the creation of thousands of new jobs, and open up avenues for exporting military products, thereby expanding the geography of exports.

"We have recently announced this field open to the private sector, and I am glad that the private sector has responded positively to my call. Several Azerbaijani private companies are already involved in the development of the military-industrial complex, of course, on the condition of obtaining licenses from relevant state institutions. Thus, this will make it possible to raise production in this field to the value of billions of dollars in just a few years," the Azerbaijani leader said.

The Head of State also dedicated part of his speech to the security of state borders, reiterating the significant likelihood of provocations from Armenia, which is intensively arming itself with the assistance of foreign powers, primarily France. “The plans of some Western countries to turn Armenia against us are obvious. But they should also know that we will not allow that. I have already said that if we see a real threat, it will not be very difficult for us to nip it in the bud wherever it is,” he remarked. This statement reaffirms the country's readiness to address threats beyond its borders.

Aliyev asserted that maintaining closed land borders is the only correct measure to ensure internal security in the current geopolitical landscape: “I can say with absolute certainty that the closure of our land borders over the past years has saved us from many major disasters.”

The head of state emphasized that ideological security is a crucial aspect of overall state security, noting that provocations in this area against Azerbaijan persist. He highlighted the role of foreign forces vying for influence over public opinion, utilizing NGOs, media outlets, and political parties to achieve their objectives. However, he underscored that the strong will of our people and our national spirit effectively resist these provocations. “I believe that the people of Azerbaijan see everything perfectly well, know everything perfectly well – who is our friend and who is our enemy,” Ilham Aliyev stated.

The President also presented a simple test on how to assess certain countries in relation to Azerbaijan: "The main criterion is the attitude of the countries to the restoration of our sovereignty. There is no need to go any further. Who supported and congratulated us on the restoration of our sovereignty? These are our friends. Who was and is against it? They cannot be our friends."

Ilham Aliyev called the education of the young generation in the national spirit the next important factor contributing to strengthening the security of the state.

"We should bring up a young generation that would be knowledgeable and educated, it should be attached and devoted to the Motherland. It should not succumb to external influence, it should be proud. In fact, after our glorious wars, including the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation, if we are not proud, then which people should be?" the President said.

Finally, Ilham Aliyev addressed Azerbaijan's foreign policy as a whole. He noted that during the period of occupation, Azerbaijan's foreign policy was primarily focused on seeking a just resolution to the conflict. However, following the historic victory, the country has gained greater freedom in shaping its foreign policy. "An independent and principled foreign policy is our main direction. We have never done anything against anyone, we have never interfered in anyone's affairs. But we have always taught a lesson to those who wanted to interfere in our affairs that they should not do so," Aliyev stressed.

According to the President, Azerbaijan is prepared to collaborate with any country based on mutual respect and in a bilateral format. However, he emphasized that the nation will never succumb to diktat, accusations, or vilification. "Azerbaijan has long established itself as a dignified and proud state. Especially, after our historic Victory, our international reputation has further increased," the Head of State emphasized.

The Azerbaijani leader further highlighted that the decision to host COP29 in Azerbaijan has received unanimous support from nearly 200 countries, underscoring the nation's international reputation and respect. Azerbaijan is expanding its network of friends across all continents.

Overall, President Aliyev's speech encapsulated the outcomes of decades of dedicated efforts by our society to strengthen statehood and demonstrated the Azerbaijani leadership's commitment to addressing modern challenges in a complex new era.