"Antony Blinken’s policy towards Azerbaijan actually ruined US-Azerbaijani relations" President Aliyev at 12th Global Baku Forum
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sharply criticized the policy of former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, claiming that his actions led to the deterioration of relations between the United States and Azerbaijan, which had been carefully nurtured over the past 30 years.
Aliyev made the relevant remarks at the 12th Global Baku Forum in Baku on March 13, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
“The policy of Mr. Antony Blinken towards Azerbaijan actually ruined US-Azerbaijani relations, which we had been building for 30 years. We have always been a very reliable partner and friend to the United States. When they needed us, we were with them. When they needed us in Iraq, we were in Iraq with our troops. When they needed us in Afghanistan, we were one of the first non-NATO countries to join operations in Afghanistan in 2001. And we were among the last to leave. But after we left, they imposed sanctions on us. I remember it was a big frustration in Azerbaijan,” the head of state noted.
Aliyev emphasized the lasting impact of the Armenian occupation on Azerbaijani lands, asserting that the country would never forget the suffering caused by the occupation.
“On the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot and we will not forget the years of occupation. We cannot forget the suffering of the Azerbaijani people, which was caused by Armenian occupation and aggression. Those who visit the liberated territories can see the level of barbarism. All our cities are in ruins. Now we are rebuilding them. But everything was levelled to the ground, and that was a deliberate urbicide against our villages, cities, against our religious and historical heritage. 65 mosques were demolished,” the head of state noted.
The president went on calling for peace in the South Caucasus. “We will not forget the genocide of Khojaly, when Armenians killed 613 innocent people, more than 60 children, and more than 100 women. But at the same time, we need to look to the future,” said Ilham Aliyev.
“We need to have peace in the South Caucasus, and that's why Azerbaijan was the initiator of the peace process. Actually, Azerbaijan was even the author of the draft peace agreement, which today is being discussed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and largely agreed,” the Azerbaijani leader added.
The president highlighted Azerbaijan's fight for justice and territorial integrity. “Our fight was a fight for justice, for international law, for our dignity. We implemented the UN Security Council resolutions, which remained on paper for 27 years and would have remained for 27 years more, if we did not liberate our land by force,” he said.
“Sometimes you have to use force to achieve peace and to restore justice. And today we see it. We see how the European Union is trying to change its policy towards building strong military potential. We see other countries concentrating their resources on building military potential and infrastructure. We've been doing that for at least 20 years since 2005, and have created a strong army, which liberated our territory and put an end to separatism and separatists. Today, the full restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty is a demonstration of not only the strong will of the Azerbaijani people, but also a demonstration of international justice,” the head of state noted.
Aliyev also raised concerns about the continued militarization of Armenia with foreign assistance.“Deadly weapons, which they supplied to Armenia, are aimed at us. They maybe be needed in other places, are being sent to Armenia," President Aliyev stressed.
“The so-called European monitoring mission, which is actually a reconnaissance mission of the European Union, is spying day and night on our border, looking just for places where they can penetrate. We have enough intelligence information on this so-called monitoring mission,” the Azerbaijani leader pointed out.
President Aliyev spoke about corrupt politicians who have been supporting the Armenian diaspora for decades. “We have raised this issue with Armenian representatives and with their new bosses in Brussels. Because now they have changed, the big brother today is Brussels. Until President Trump won, it was the State Department, it was USAID. It was corrupt American politicians like Menendez, who are now facing serious problems. But Menendez should not be the last one. As they say, one swallow does not make a summer. There are many more who put Armenian money in their pockets. I can name them. Their names are known: Mr. Adam Schiff, Mr. Frank Pallone, Madam Nancy Pelosi, and many others, who for decades were receiving money from Armenian diaspora organizations in the United States to attack Azerbaijan and discredit it,” he said.
Talking about the forum, Aliyev congratulated the Nizami Ganjavi International Center for its years of extraordinary activity and for organizing the international event. "I’d like to congratulate the Nizami Ganjavi International Center on its extraordinary activity throughout all these years and also for organizing this important international event," he said.
The president underscored the importance of the forum as a leading platform for global discussions, stating, "We are very proud that the Global Baku Forum has become one of the leading international platforms for addressing important issues of the global agenda."
President Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan's role in global energy security and its influence on the European market. "The decision to organize COP29 in Azerbaijan, I think, was driven by very responsible approach of Azerbaijan towards its energy resources," he remarked.
"I’d like to underline that our country is not in shortage of energy supply. On the contrary, today Azerbaijan is providing energy security for more than a dozen countries. Twelve of them are recipients of Azerbaijani natural gas. Ten out of twelve are European countries. So, it’s not by chance that the European Commission has called Azerbaijan a reliable partner and also a pan-European energy supplier," President Aliyev emphasized.
The Azerbaijani leader noted: “COP29 in Baku is called the Baku Breakthrough, and that's an important legacy."
“Unfortunately, this global international event was accompanied by a campaign in some Western media,” noted the head of state, adding that these fake news were generated from several centers, actually two: one in the US State Department, and the fake news outlets like the Washington Post, New York Times, Politico, Newsweek, and the Associated Press were just implementing the instructions of the US State Department. The second source was the office of the President of France, Mr. Macron, through their fake news media like Le Monde, Figaro, and others.
In addition to the above issues, President Aliyev reflected on Azerbaijan’s leadership within the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). "We chaired the Non-Aligned Movement, the institution of 120 countries, and actively supported member states in different situations, including during the COVID time, providing humanitarian and financial assistance to more than 80 countries," he said.
"At the same time, through active communication with European actors, we have seen our role as a kind of bridge builder between the Global South and the Global North," he concluded.
Notably, the XII Global Baku Forum, themed "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities," is currently underway at the Gulustan Palace in Baku. The forum, held under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is set to be a landmark event in fostering global dialogue.
President Ilham Aliyev participated in the opening ceremony of the forum, which is expected to bring together more than 400 distinguished participants. Among the attendees are current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and prominent representatives from international organizations and civil society. The event aims to provide a significant platform for open discussion, innovation, and collaboration across nations.
The main goal of the forum is to create a space for reflection and dialogue, where participants can share insights on past experiences, confront current challenges, and explore future solutions. Over the past 11 years, the forum has become a major international gathering, having hosted over 100 heads of state and government, along with 4,000 senior leaders and renowned figures. Through these interactions, the forum has played a crucial role in addressing some of the world’s most urgent issues.
By Khagan Isayev
editor@caliber.az
+994 55 444-88-98
Азербайджан, Баку, ул. Низами, 203, Af Business House, 5-й этаж