BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 1
Trend:
When Lachin district was occupied, there was a struggle for power in Baku, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said addressing the nation, Trend reports.
“The occupation of Lachin district was a great tragedy. I want to say again that the occupation of any district was a tragedy, but the occupation of Lachin district allowed for overland communication between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The occupation of Lachin in May 1992, a few days after the occupation of Shusha, was a great loss for us. Armenia could already send weapons, ammunition, and manpower along this corridor. Of course, this led to great losses. About a year later, Kalbajar district was occupied too,” the Azerbaijani president said.
“It is possible to say that all this laid the foundation for the subsequent occupation. I would also like to say again that when the Lachin district was occupied, there was a struggle for power in Baku. Those who fought this struggle sold Lachin, Shusha, Kalbajar to the enemy, and, one might say, put the Azerbaijani statehood on the edge of a precipice. We remember all that history too well. The liberation of Lachin district today without a single shot being fired and without a single martyr is our great victory,” the head of state said.