The Azerbaijani people are in solidarity with the Turkish people with regards to the attacks on humanitarian convoy in the Mediterranean Sea, which killed innocent civilians, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in Istanbul on June 8, AzerTAj state news agency reported.
"We strongly condemn this attack and support Turkey," the President said, offering deepest condolences to Turkish brothers and families of the victims.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev attends the third summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, which began in Istanbul on June 8. In his speech, the President thanked the Turkish President Abdullah Gul for his hospitality and excellent organization of this summit. Aliyev also expressed his gratitude to the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for his efforts aimed at turning the summit into an important international forum.
Azerbaijan plays its role in the regional cooperation, Aliyev said.
"We are completely sure that the regional cooperation, forecasting and joint activity in the region will reduce the possible risks and help building the forecasted future for our peoples," the President said.
"The security measures in Asia are part of the global security measures. We will not be able to achieve success without complex approach to the security measures," Aliyev said.
"The fight against terrorism must be conducted against all terrorist organizations in the world. The major condition of the success is to unite efforts against terrorism," the President said.
"At the same time, regional cooperation and economic growth will contribute to the security measures in our region. Therefore, Azerbaijan is doing its best to play an important role in the regional cooperation issues," he said.
"Various projects successfully implemented in Azerbaijan create a basis for broad regional cooperation. Especially I want to mention the projects on energy security. At first these projects were launched as pipeline projects, but now they have become example of a very important regional cooperation beneficial for all participants. Azerbaijan is also contributing to the revival of the historical Silk Road, and the railway project, which we are participating in, will unite Asia and Europe, bring welfare to the peoples of the region and make it available to establish a broad transportation junction. In other words, security requires uniting the efforts, economic cooperation and growth may be the way leading to success," he said.
One of the important issues that the President mentioned in his speech was the attitude towards conflict solution.
"Azerbaijan is a victim of the continuing Armenian aggression. The internationally-recognized territories of Azerbaijan have been under the Armenian occupation for almost two decades," Aliyev said.
"One million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and IDPs as a result of this occupation. 20 percent of our territories are under the Armenian occupation. This situation still continues," the President said.
Azerbaijan has incurred ethnic cleansing policy, Aliyev said. There is no any local resident in the occupied territories. "All buildings, houses, schools, graves of our ancestors, our mosques and historical heritage have been destroyed in those territories," Aliyev said.
"We demand the implementation of decisions and resolutions of international organizations by Armenia," the President said.