BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.17
Trend:
Of course, we are the ones who have a say on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, said Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev after raising the national flag in Kalbajar city during the visit to Kalbajar and Lachin districts on Aug.16, Trend reports.
“At the same time, we are strengthening our state border in the direction of Kalbajar and Lachin. This border was in Armenian hands for about 30 years. After the snow melted in May, we approached these borders, took our positions, settled in Zangazur and reinforced our positions there. This is our land. The opinions expressed in Armenia are completely unfounded. We are on our own land. Lake Garagol and other places are ours. We are here now. This area was in the Armenian hands for 30 years. If that border crossed the place they are talking about, they should have taken it. They should have stood there and said that this is the border. But what happened? As soon as we arrived and stood here, they said no, we were standing in the wrong place. We stand in the right place, we stand where we need to stand, and we will stand wherever we consider necessary. Let no-one forget that. That is why the entire border infrastructure and military units are being established by the Ministry of Defense and the Border Troops along the border – from Murovdagh all the way to the Araz River, and we are strengthening these borders.
The construction of 700 kilometers of local roads is underway. I am not even talking about the main intercity roads because sufficient information has been provided about those projects. The construction of 700 kilometers of roads leading to our borders is underway, and about 80 percent of this work will be completed before the onset of winter. In other words, the ground and gravel roads will allow us the opportunity to reinforce our positions in these areas – both for movement and from a military point of view. Of course, we are the ones who have a say on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. This is natural, and we will continue to have a say. Some irrelevant opinions are sometimes voiced about this issue in certain foreign circles. There is no need for that. We are standing where we consider it necessary, and if anyone is annoyed by that, if anyone is angry, let them go and drink water, as they say,” said President Aliyev.