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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev urged the international community to pursue a global order based on fairness, the rule of law, and concrete steps toward peace during his address to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
"We must build together a world where double standards are eliminated, justice is not selective, the rule of law is upheld, and peace is achieved not only by words but also by practical actions," Aliyev said.
Aliyev recalled that around 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory had been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades, during which one million Azerbaijanis were displaced. He said negotiations in that period failed to produce results, but "with the victory in the Second Karabakh War in 2020, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity."
Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan offered peace to Armenia immediately after the 2020 war. "Despite various provocations, because the negotiations were conducted bilaterally, a positive outcome was achieved. On August 8, the text of a peace agreement was initialed in Washington," he said.
He added that regional transport links were central to Azerbaijan’s vision of sustainable peace. Referring to a proposed corridor through Zangezur, he said: "The Trump International Peace and Prosperity Road, which will ensure unhindered passage through the Zangezur Corridor and strengthen regional connections, is one of the important outcomes of the Washington summit."
Aliyev noted that cities and villages destroyed during the occupation years are being rebuilt, with more than 50,000 people returning to their ancestral lands. However, he cautioned that landmines left by Armenian forces continue to slow reconstruction efforts.
"Since the Second Karabakh War, more than 400 Azerbaijanis have lost their lives or been seriously injured as a result of mine explosions," he said.
Turning to global issues, Aliyev said, "Responses to challenges must be inclusive, fair, and universal." He also warned of environmental risks linked to the Caspian Sea.
"The Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly, and the main reason is not climate change. Preventing an environmental disaster with unpredictable consequences requires joint efforts by all coastal states," he said.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is proud of the humanitarian assistance it has provided internationally in recent years. "The achievements of Azerbaijan are not only our success and victory but also proof that international law will prevail sooner or later," he concluded.
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