Unfounded assumptions that anyone can dictate anything to us will continue to be met with our firm stance, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at the opening of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, APA reports.
"Armenia occupied approximately 20 percent of our internationally recognized territories, pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing that resulted in the deportation of one million Azerbaijanis from their historical lands, and destroyed our religious and historical monuments, including 65 mosques in Karabakh. Nevertheless, no sanctions were imposed against Armenia, and it was not punished. This is a double standard. However, double standards are not limited to this. Double standards also manifest themselves when someone tries to teach you how to live. Before taking such a step, one should look in the mirror and ask oneself: Do you have the moral right to lecture someone, teach them, or tell an independent country how to live, what to do and what not to do? We never do that. We focus on our own affairs and our own responsibilities. What happens in other countries is a matter for the peoples of those countries. It is not our business. We expect the same attitude toward us, and we achieve it. Any sign of disrespect toward us, any manifestation of an unfounded sense of superiority, and any unfounded assumptions that someone can dictate anything to us have been met with our resistance and will continue to be met with our firm stance.
I think that if the international community agrees on these basic rules of international conduct, there will be fewer conflicts and problems and more interactions. At least, this is how we see the situation.
At the same time, to give you a more complete picture, I would also like to note that Azerbaijan's achievements over these 35 years have been made possible through the efforts of the Azerbaijani people. We have not received any international assistance. We have moved from destruction, occupation, and widespread poverty toward progress, development, and success.
Today, if you look at Azerbaijan's foreign policy, economic indicators, and role in global energy and transportation markets, you will see that our country's role has increased significantly. In many cases, Azerbaijan is regarded as a guarantor of stability in an unstable region. Our independent policy has also earned us great respect," the head of state noted.
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