A YouTube video titled “The First President of Armenia Ter-Petrosyan and the Real Goals of the Armenian National Movement” continues to attract attention from various circles.
The video unveils the true objectives of the “Armenian Pan-National Movement,” led by Ter-Petrosyan, and Armenia as a whole, which include the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis living on their ancestral lands that were then part of Armenia. Similar actions against the native Azerbaijani population of Karabakh, occupied by Armenian armed forces at the time, are also mentioned.
According to Ter-Petrosyan himself, in statements made in 1993, these goals were successfully achieved: “Armenia and Artsakh have been completely cleansed of other nations,” and the “problem” of the Azerbaijani population’s demographic predominance in the “Vardenis, Masis, and Amasia regions of Armenia, as well as the Zangezur belt,” was resolved. He further asserted that “the entire territory of Artsakh and much more is now in Armenian hands.”
This crime, committed in violation of all norms and principles of international law, was referred to by Ter-Petrosyan as “a meticulous piece of work.”
But what do we see today? What remains of this inhumane activity? The first president of Armenia is undoubtedly aware. From our side, we propose shedding light on this issue through the perspective provided by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in 2020, prior to the victorious Patriotic War. Notably, in his speech at the opening of the Tartar Olympic Sports Complex (June 2020), the head of state forecasted the emergence of new realities in the region.
First and foremost, Ilham Aliyev emphasized: “Never in history has Azerbaijan been as strong, independent, and free as it is today.” He noted that “our unfortunate neighbors blocked the water supply to Tartar for many years, despite Azerbaijan’s significant efforts in the 1970s to collect water.” Specifically, Azerbaijan constructed the Sarsang Reservoir, but Armenian criminals cut off the water supply, effectively committing “environmental terrorism.” In this context, the president labeled Armenia as a “terrorist state, as it has repeatedly demonstrated.”
“Power may change in Armenia,” he emphasized, “but the terrorist and fascist essence of this country remains unchanged, and everyone should know this. The whole world should know this.”
The Azerbaijani president also highlighted that “there is not a single Azerbaijani left on ancient Azerbaijani lands. Our historical monuments and mosques have been destroyed. The historical heritage of Azerbaijanis has been erased.” Meanwhile, Karabakh is ruled by “a junta regime.”
He then stated: “From a political and legal standpoint, our position is impeccable, while Armenia’s position is flawed. We are much stronger than Armenia economically and militarily, as we have demonstrated, including on the battlefield. And yet, they bombed the city of Tartar, the villages of Tartar, and Aghdam. If this is not fascism, then what is?”
Ilham Aliyev also underscored that Armenians continue to lay claims to Azerbaijani territories, “despite living on our historic lands. This is a historical fact. Just look at maps published by Tsarist Russia in the early 20th century. The vast majority of place names across the current territory of Armenia have Azerbaijani origins.” He also reminded that “our ancient region of Zangezur was handed over to Armenia,” leading to the “geographic division of the greater Turkic world.”
In concluding his remarks, the president declared that the only path to resolving the regional conflict is “the restoration of our country’s territorial integrity.” As the head of state noted: “We are gaining strength, we will become even stronger, but at the same time, the geopolitical situation must be such that all our actions are successful. And I want to repeat: Karabakh is Azerbaijan!”
These words, spoken months before the victorious 44-day war in 2020, became a historic perspective on the terrorist nature of the Armenian state and a declaration of confidence that historical justice would prevail. This indeed occurred before the eyes of all Armenian presidents.
A similar scenario is set to become a reality regarding Western Zangezur. For those who doubt, let us remind them: President Ilham Aliyev’s words always align with actions. In a speech last year at the unveiling of a monument to Ashig Alasgar in Baku, he highlighted the destruction of a monument erected in the ashig’s native village of Aghkilsa by “Armenian vandals.” The head of state emphasized that this distinguished individual “lived and created in the Göycha region, an ancient Azerbaijani land,” but in recent years was forced to leave his homeland.
Calling the unveiling of the Ashig Alasgar monument an event that “calls on all Western Azerbaijanis and the entire Azerbaijani people to reunite for a common goal,” the president proclaimed: “I believe, and you believe, that the day will come when we will restore the monument destroyed by Armenians and hold a similar ceremony in the village of Aghkilsa.”
Did everyone hear that?
Teymur Atayev
