Without a single shot, the president takes back Khankendi. In three days, 120,000 Armenian population leaves Upper Karabakh. Not a single casualty, not a single shot, no bloodshed. We, that is, the public, the clueless observers, clutch our chairs tightly, still watching and trying to understand. What is going on?
Another unexpected move. In a flash, the entire contingent of Russian troops quietly, peacefully, without resistance, quickly leaves Karabakh in a matter of hours. This is not American or European armed forces, not an army with a human face: we are talking here about Russian soldiers that crush and wipe out Ukraine together with its population. Good Lord, what is happening? Aliyev continues the game, soberly, dispassionately, and silently. Azerbaijani troops take the positions of the Russian troops who, for the first time in centuries of Romanov, Soviet and post-Bolshevik history, leave their redoubts without a word…
We hold our breath and keep watching. Aliyev makes another move. Another bolt from the blue. Two deputy prime ministers, Shahin Mustafayev and Mher Grigoryan, meet on the border with Armenia and sign a sensational Memorandum, based on the provisions of the Alma-Ata Declaration, returning the two countries to the 1991 borders. This means de-occupation of the last stretches of land occupied by Armenia during its expansionist period. The Armenian army leaves its positions, the Azerbaijani army again takes the enemy’s positions without a single shot.
These historic developments at Ilham Aliyev’s great chessboard take place amid sensational statements by Russia, the United States, the European Union and China, who have supported the new geopolitical process in the Caucasus. France is out of the game. Aliyev shuts Paris out of the new process.
On April 22, Aliyev travels to meet with Putin. A day later, he visits Scholz.
Both are happy to see the Azerbaijani leader. A government delegation from Baku goes to Washington. They are welcome there, too. Vučić asks for his help, Erdoğan consults with him, he gets a call from Jerusalem in the morning, a call from Tehran in the evening… All this while the terrible Third World War that divided the international community into two camps rages on. Aliyev alone stands above all camps. He is playing his brilliant geopolitical game with confidence and courage.
How does he do it? With what? What kind of moves are these? Victory after victory. You have to admit, it just does not work like this. I give up understanding. How about you?
Aliyev smiles meaningfully at the great geopolitical chessboard. He is the winner. How did he reach this peak? This is probably something history will reveal to future generations.
Congratulations on your victory! Although this is yet another victory of one player. This is his war, a war he is used to winning.
Eynulla Fatullayev
Translated from Haqqin.az
