WHILE THE WORLD TURNS A BLIND EYE…

- Several U.S. officials have said that they will continue to work and promote a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In your opinion, will the new U.S. administration be able to make new proposals so to drive the negotiating process from the dead-lock?

- I am confident that in the next few years the U. S. State Department will play a major role in solving the Nagorno-Karabakh stalemate. Moreover, the contributions of the Russian Federation must be commended, Moscow has recently played an important role towards initiating a negotiations dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan, although several trilateral discussions have not generated any tangible results. To have peace in Nagorno-Karabakh and throughout the Southern Caucasus region, Armenian Armed Forces must immediately withdraw from the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan and Armenian Government must immediately stop its economic sanctions that are imposed against the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan (for over two decades). Washington is expected to increase its focus towards the pressing regional security issues and geostrategic implications on the Caucasus.

- In March, the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan made official visits to France; one of the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, and a meeting of Sargsyan and Putin took place in Moscow. How can this affect the negotiation process?

- The President of Azerbaijan H. E. Ilham Aliyev has been leading an effective foreign policy campaign and has pursued a pragmatic economic diplomacy strategy over the last decade. In the first three months of 2017, President Ilham Aliyev has visited Europe (Belgium, Germany) and the State of Qatar, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Republic of France. These official visits have bolstered the admirable image of Azerbaijan abroad and certainly have played a historic contribution towards peacefully solving the Nagorno-Karabakh armed conflict. The presidential diplomacy led by Azerbaijani head of state, has genuinely been very productive, at a time when the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and other European Union structures have not delivered any concrete results to the Nagorno-Karabakh Armed conflict. This is a regional crisis that must urgently be solved. The fate of regional security in the Southern Caucasus is held hostage by the belligerent attitude of Armenian Armed Forces and its political leadership in Yerevan. Paris, Rome and other western capital cities must invest more time and energy to ensure the solution of this problem. Yerevan must seriously consider to fully withdraw Armenian Armed Troops from the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan and Sargsyan’s government must focus on how to eradicate corruption, organized crime, unemployment and the tumbling demographic statistical figures of Armenia’s population. President Sargsyan must be more agile and should immediately stop embracing a corrupt and a kleptocratic leadership attitude; there are many results - oriented statecraft and leadership qualities that he can learn from the neighboring Republic of Azerbaijan.

- If Washington refuses to comply with the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, how can this affect the situation in the South Caucasus region?

- The 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal that was negotiated between Tehran and the major world powers (the ministers of foreign affairs of France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Russia), therefore any breach of this agreement will have global implications; however, there is no doubt that such an agreement with Tehran will ensure a greater regional security and economic prosperity for the region and beyond.

- On February 16^th, the meeting between the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., and Gen. Valeriy Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces took place in Baku. The interests of the two powers converge in the South Caucasus. In your opinion, can Baku play the role of an intermediary in mending relations between Moscow and Washington?

- The city of Baku has emerged as the world’s capital of religious tolerance, multiculturalism and of constructive political dialogue. The Azerbaijani capital city is the perfect place where the world’s major powers can discuss an overarching spectrum of matters that affect geostrategic interests of Washington, Moscow, European Union and Beijing. The last February meeting between the leaders of U.S. and Russian Armed Forces, reiterated once again the important role that Baku plays towards safeguarding peace and stability in the region and Eurasia. For many years, Azerbaijan has excelled in strengthening its constitutional and democratic institutions for the betterment of its people, national economy and global security.

- In the middle of March (2017) the 5th Global Baku Forum in Baku attracted 300 representatives from 56 countries. How do you assess the place of Azerbaijan in the system of international relations?

- The Republic of Azerbaijan has played an important role in International Relations and Global Governance since the second proclamation of Independence on August 30^th, 1991. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its mission is the perfect example of a national cultural diplomacy policy; it has made great contributions on many international sustainable development projects. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan have embraced an admirable roadmap dedicated to the promotion of Azerbaijan throughout the world.

- Recently, the world politicians are increasingly talking about an atmosphere of uncertainty, and about a certain turning point in the sphere of international relations. What do you think about it?

- The world's statesmen will always be concerned for the level of uncertainty roving over many regions of the world, for as long as these very same leaders of Euro-Atlantic democratic governments will continue to turn a blind eye towards the infinite violations of International Laws by Yerevan; and are unable to pressure the Armenian Government to withdraw its armed forces from the brutal occupation of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and hold responsible President Sargsyan for his belligerence policy towards Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.