Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan goes its own way

Azerbaijan is developing successfully as the focus of the authorities is the interests of the Azerbaijani people, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at the first plenary session of the Azerbaijani parliament’s fifth convocation.

"We always defend our interests in the international arena. Perhaps that is why in some cases we are subjected to unreasonable and sometimes provocative criticism. But it cannot affect our policy, as we go our own way. A powerful economy, stability and the unity of the people and the authorities have created such conditions in Azerbaijan that no outside force can influence our policy," he said.

The President noted that such attempts have already been made and may recur in the future, but Azerbaijan is ready for this. "The best answer to the vile campaigns against Azerbaijan is the realities of our country. We do not have and will not have any liability to any country. We constantly express our position in international bilateral and multilateral relations. Maybe this is not like some of the outer circle. Maybe someone expects that Azerbaijan will remain silent or stop expressing its position. No! We will speak when justice is violated, if there are double standards, not only against us, but in general," the head of state said.

Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan was one of the few countries which expressed their views on the immigration crisis, and said that the authorities are not going to be silent, seeing injustice: the so-called crisis is a humanitarian catastrophe for the migrants.

He recalled that the deputies and the public are well aware that Azerbaijan is also a subject of unfounded accusations, for example, violations of democracy and human rights. However, Europe's actions in relation to the migration crisis clearly demonstrate that the West does not always meet its own criteria.

According to the head of state, the main thing is security issues. "There are no domestic sources of threats in our country. We are able to protect the country from external interference. We defend our choices, do not interfere in the affairs of others, but do not allow anyone to interfere in our affairs. In the course of meetings with our partners, I always say that we do not need help. No one helps us in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, although it is clear who is to blame and who is the victim of the occupation," he said.

"Security, an active foreign policy, economic reforms, the fight against negative phenomena, a powerful military capability and our commitment to core values is the path that leads us into the future. Azerbaijan is a modern state, but a state which is built on deep national and spiritual values. The national values of Azerbaijani are a priority for us. Azerbaijan will follow the route of independence. We defend and shall defend our independence," Ilham Aliyev concluded.