FARUKH SHEHZAD

BAKU, JUL 13: Since the beginning of this year, the total passenger traffic of Azerbaijan’s international airports has exceeded 2 million people. Only in June this year, 530,000 passengers were served at the airports, which is 96% of the pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

The base air carriers of the Baku airport – AZAL and Buta Airways – have carried 618,000 and 201,000 passengers, respectively, since the beginning of the year. Of these, 457 thousand are passengers of international flights, which is 36% of the total international traffic.

In June 2022, 24 foreign airlines operated regular flights to Baku airport. Also this month, “Salam Air” launched direct flights from Muscat to Baku.

The top ten most popular international destinations from Baku in June included Istanbul, Moscow, Dubai, Tbilisi, Antalya, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Ankara, Sharjah and Minsk.

Heydar Aliyev International Airport (IATA: GYD) is the largest airport in Azerbaijan and the region in terms of passenger and freight traffic, takeoff and landing operations, the airport terminal area and capacity of the cargo complex.

In 2021 the Heydar Aliyev International Airport was certified with the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating by international air transport rating agency Skytrax. This is the highest recognition of the effectiveness of COVID-19 measures instituted at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport to protect its passengers and employees from the spread of COVID-19.

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COURTESY en.trend.az

ISLAMABAD, MAY 30: “The latest statement realized by the Armenian media about Azerbaijan’s military killing of David Vardanyan depicts a hostile agenda of spreading misinformation,” Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future.

According to him, the Yerevan leadership is trying to ignite conflict by disrupting the process of regional cooperation commenced by Azerbaijan: “All these statements are baseless and far from the truth. Therefore, such despicable moves to weaponize people’s empathy and goodwill through lies in order to delegitimize Azerbaijan will certainly face righteous opposition globally and from all those who value truth, equality, and justice.”

He also noted that Armenia must provide maps of the mines and cooperate with Azerbaijan rather than spreading fake news, halting the Brussels meeting’s outcomes and regional peace.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the accusations of the Armenian Foreign Ministry that the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire.

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Courtesy report.az

BAKU, MAR 28: The Azerbaijani Army, led by President Ilham Aliyev, is strengthening its positions by conducting dislocaton works, Azerbaijani lawmaker Javid Osmanov, who is also a member of the Board of the Yeni Azerbaijan Party, told Report.

“Thus, the Farrukh village, one of our ancestral territories, has also been transferred under Azerbaijan’s control,” he said.

“In the 44-day Patriotic War, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev.

our brave Army won a historic victory, liberated our lands that were held under occupation for 30 years and ensured our territorial integrity. At the same time, Armenia knelt down and signed an act of capitulation, and on November 10, 2020, a tripartite statement was signed by the Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia.

“According to the statement, a Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed in part of our territories, in our historical lands,” he said.

The lawmaker added that the transfer of Farrukh village of Khojaly district to the control of Azerbaijan is another historic victory.

Courtesy azerbaycan24.com

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LAHORE/BAKU: On March 16, 2022, direct flights started between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. An official ceremony was held on the occasion of the launch of direct flights at Lahore Airport.

Speaking at the ceremony Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov, CEO of PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Secretary Aviation Division Shoukat Ali noted that the launch of the direct flights will contribute to the further deepening of relations between the two brotherly countries, especially ties in economy and tourism.

They congratulated the people of the two countries on the occasion of this historical event and wished them success in future joint activities.

On the same day, a direct flight departed from Lahore to Baku. Along with Pakistani passengers, Azerbaijani Ambassador KhazarFarhadov, CEO of PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik and Secretary Aviation Division Shoukat Ali also travelled to Azerbaijan.

The Heydar Aliyev International Airport of Azerbaijan received the first passenger flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). On this occasion, an official ceremony was held at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov, Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan Bilal Hayee, Director of the State Civil Aviation Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of AzerbaijanArifMammadov, Vice President of AZAL EldarHajiyev, CEO of PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Secretary Aviation Division Shoukat Ali and other officials attended the ceremony.

Director of the State Civil Aviation Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijani Republic A.Mammadov, Vice President of AZAL E.Hajiyev, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan Bilal Hayee spoke at the event and stressed of the importance of the launch of the direct flights, which contribute to growing ties in all directions between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, as well as increasing the number of direct flights as a result of future cooperation between the two countries' airline companies, and they congratulated the people of both countries on this occasion.

On the same day, the Pakistani airlines carried out a direct flight from Karachi to Baku as well.

It should be noted that the PIA will operate the direct flights from Karachi and Lahore to Baku twice a week.

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BAKU/KARACHI, MAR 14: This week Pakistan International Airlines will start operating flights to Baku from two Pakistani cities Karachi and Lahore. The Azerbaijani national air carrier also plans to launch flights from Baku to Lahore, a working meeting between AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov and Pakistani ambassador to Azerbaijan Bilal Hayee.

At a meeting with the Pakistani ambassador, the sides exchanged views on the agenda of mutual cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the field of civil aviation, and long-term plans to increase passenger traffic. The parties noted that the anti-epidemic measures have made it possible to improve the current situation with COVID-19.

Jahangir Asgarov noted that the opening of direct flights will serve as an additional incentive for the development of tourism and business relations between the two countries. According to ambassador Bilal Hayee, regular flights will give a new impetus to the development of political, economic, and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

At a meeting between AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov and Bulgarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolay Yankov, the sides exchanged ideas, forecasts, and visions of the current situation in the field of civil aviation and measures taken by the airlines of the two countries to overcome the anti-epidemic restrictions. At the meeting, Jahangir Asgarov and Nikolay Yankov discussed prospects for resuming flights between Sofia and Baku.

According to the President of AZAL, the fifth and seventh degrees of airspace freedom operate at all Azerbaijani airports. These degrees allow all foreign air carriers to operate flights from Azerbaijan to 40 countries in Europe, North America, Australia, and Southeast Asia without any restrictions, Jahangir Asgarov said.

According to ambassador Nikolay Yankov, mutually beneficial and close cooperation will further serve to develop business and cultural ties between the two countries.

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Courtesy report.az

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ISLAMABAD: February 26, 2022, marks the 30th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide committed by the armed forces of Armenia during the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan.

One of the gravest crimes committed against the civilian population during the decades of Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, and the most tragic page of the First Karabakh War, was the destruction of the city of Khojaly and the genocide of its inhabitants. Before the conflict, Khojaly, located in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, was a home to over 7,000 people: men, women, children, families.

From October 1991, the town was surrounded by the armed forces of Armenia. Overnight, on 25th February 1992, following massive artillery bombardment of Khojaly, the armed forces of Armenia, with the help of the former USSR infantry guards regiment No.366 of which the Armenians constituted the majority, forcibly seized control of Khojaly. 

Invaders destroyed the city and, with particular brutality, brought violence to its peaceful population.

5,379 inhabitants of the city were forcefully expelled. 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 elderly citizens, were brutally murdered. 1,275 were captured and taken hostage and were tortured, and 487 were injured. 

The fate of 150 of those captured, including 68 women and 26 children, remains unknown to this day. 

The actions of the armed forces of Armenia tore families apart. Eight families were left with no survivors to speak of. 130 children lost a parent, with a further 25 children left with no surviving parent at all.

The indiscriminate killings of civilians at Khojaly stemmed from a policy of ethnic hatred and racial discrimination against Azerbaijanis at the state level in Armenia. It led to the killing of innocent people based simply on their ethnicity. 

The crimes committed at Khojaly were an integral part of Armenia's policy of systematic violence against Azerbaijanis.

The Khojaly massacre and other crimes committed by Armenia in the course of its aggression against the Republic of Azerbaijan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, constitute serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. 

These include violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and others.

So far, the national legislative bodies of 17 countries, as well as 24 States of the USA, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization of Turkic States have adopted a number of resolutions and decisions condemning the massacre of civilians in Khojaly and characterizing it as a crime against humanity and an act of genocide.

In its judgment of 22 April 2010, the European Court of Human Rights arrived at an important conclusion with respect to the crimes committed in Khojaly, denouncing the behavior of those carrying out the atrocities as “acts of particular gravity which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity”.

Under international law, States have a responsibility to investigate atrocities such as those committed by Armenian forces at Khojaly and prosecute the perpetrators. 

However, to date none of those responsible for the crimes committed at Khojaly have been prosecuted by Armenia.

In a telling admission of culpability, Armenia’s then Defence Minister and ex-President, SerzhSargsyan, was quoted by the British journalist Thomas de Waal, as saying, “before Khojali, the Azerbaijanis thought that ... the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. 

We were able to break that [stereotype]” (Thomas de Waal, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War (New York and London, New York University Press, 2003), p. 172).

Deliberate targeting of the Azerbaijani civilian population continued during military operations conducted by Armenia from September 27 to November 10, 2020.

Deliberately targeting the civilian population and civilian infrastructure of Azerbaijani cities such as Ganja, Barda, Terter, which are located at a considerable distance from the war zone, Armenia resorted to the same terror tactics as they had in 1992.

This time with the use of modern types of armoured vehicles, rocket launchers and cluster munitions, Armenia once again unlawfully targeted and killed peaceful Azerbaijani civilians.

The Republic of Azerbaijan believes that continuous measures taken at the national level, as well as within the framework of existing international law, will serve to end impunity and bring to justice those responsible for serious crimes committed during Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan.

We take this opportunity to remember the victims of the Khojaly massacre and commit their sacrifice to our collective national memory. May they rest in peace.

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ISLAMABAD/BAKU, JAN 19: On the night of January 19 to 20, 1990, by order of the USSR leadership, 26,000 Soviet troops invaded Baku, Sumgait, as well as other cities of Azerbaijan. 

As a result of this military intervention, 147 civilians were killed and 744 were seriously injured. This event went down in the history of modern Azerbaijan as "Black January".

Before these tragic events, the groundless territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan in late 1980s, the aggressive separatist activities of Armenian radicals in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of the former Azerbaijan SSR and the Soviet leadership's support to this illegal activity, as well as the violent and brutal deportation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia spurred the expansion of the movement against the Soviet Government in Azerbaijan.

The Soviet Army deployed to the country in order to prevent the national movement and break the will of the Azerbaijani people for independence, committed massacre against the peaceful population, violating the norms of international law, the Constitutions of the former USSR and the Azerbaijani SSR.

At a press conference at the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow immediately after the tragic events, National leader Heydar Aliyev strongly condemned this atrocity and demanded political assessment of the massacre against our people and punishment for the perpetrators.

At a special session of the MilliMajlis (Parliament) in February 1994, the brutal murder of innocent people on January 20, 1990 was regarded as military aggression and crime, and as a result of the deliberations in March 1994, decision “On the tragic events committed in Baku on January 20, 1990” was adopted. Since then, 20 January has been commemorated as National Mourning Day.

32 years passed since January 20, 1990 tragedy, but this gross violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international legal documents, and which was one of the serious crimes of the 20th century by its essence and scope, had not received an international political and legal assessment.

The former Soviet leadership is directly responsible for this crime. According to international law, the events of January 20 must be described as a crime against humanity, and its initiators and perpetrators must be brought to justice.

Under the leadership of Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the brave Azerbaijani Army ensured the territorial integrity of our country as a result of the 44-day war and the Republic of Azerbaijan, in its 31st year of restoration of independence, is currently a reliable and responsible member of the world community.

Strengthening the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the foundation of our statehood, and our struggle for the constant uphold of these basic principles is persistent. 

Any possible threats to the independence and integrity of our state will continue to be resolutely answered, and all necessary steps will be taken to bring to justice those responsible for various crimes against the people and state of Azerbaijan.

We commemorate with deep respect and gratitude the memory of all our heroes who gave their lives for the independence of Azerbaijan, as well as for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

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BAKU, JAN 1: The first baby of 2022 in Azerbaijan was born in Ganja, Report informs citing the Information and Statistics Department of the Health Ministry that the baby is one of the twin boys born in the Ganja perinatal center.

The mother of the twins is from the village of Garagaji, Barda District.

The babies weigh 1 kg 900 grams and 1 kg 600 grams.

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Courtesy report.az

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BAKU, Dec 21: It made sense for Europe to get access to Azerbaijan’s gas supplies, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, BP vice president for the Caspian region, Communications and Advocacy, said in an interview with.

He noted that today Shah Deniz is the main source of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe.

“As we know, the EU has relatively little in the way of gas reserves. In fact, Azerbaijan alone has gas reserves equivalent to more than 75% of the total gas reserves of Europe,” he added.

“So, it made sense for Europe to get access to Azerbaijan’s gas supplies and today Shah Deniz is the main source of those supplies making Azerbaijan a reliable energy partner of Europe that significantly contributes to EU’s energy security,” he said.

“Indeed, the project is not only significant for the country and the region. It has a huge global significance. President Ilham Aliyev once said about the Southern Gas Corridor that it would change the energy map of Europe and open up additional opportunities for Azerbaijan and the countries in the region. 

This is absolutely true for the entire Shah Deniz project. Shah Deniz has been pivotal for many countries to shape up as energy hubs, particularly for Turkey as a regional energy hub and for some of the European Union countries,” the BP vice president added.

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Courtesy report.az

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BAKU, DEC 7: The Office of International Military Cooperation held an annual meeting with the participation of military attaches of foreign countries and representatives of international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan.

According to the Defense Ministry, the meeting focused on military-security issues in the region, reforms in the Azerbaijani Army after the victory in the patriotic war under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, measures held within the international cooperation, and activities planned for 2022.

Questions of military attaches were answered at the event.

The guests thanked the leadership of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry for holding such events and expressed hope for further fruitful cooperation.

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Courtesy report.az

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BAKU, DEC 6: Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov expressed condolences to Pakistani Federal Defense Minister Pervez Khattak, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Nadeem Raza, and Commander of the Ground Forces General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The condolence reads: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the deaths of servicemen of the fraternal Pakistani Armed Forces as a result of a crash of a military helicopter. I share the grief of their loved ones, and express my deep condolences to their families.”

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Courtesy report.az

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Ashgabat, NOV 28: President of Pakistan Arif Alvi has congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the liberation of Azerbaijani lands and restoration of territorial integrity.

I highly appreciate his contribution to this work,” said President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, speaking at the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization.

He congratulated Azerbaijan on the victory in the Patriotic War.

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Courtesy report.az

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BAKU, NOV 24: Shusha will be declared the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023, Minister of Culture Anar Karimov said, speaking at the conference ‘Great return: Revival of culture.’

“The announcement will be made at the TURKSOY session. Events will be held with the participation of all of our Turkic-speaking brothers,” the minister said.

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BAKU, NOV 23: Azerbaijan is moving rapidly towards the reintegration of the liberated territories, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said in a video message posted on the Twitter page of Antalya Diplomatic Forum.

“As a result of the 44-day Patriotic War last year, we liberated our lands from the Armenian occupation. The victory opens a new era in the history of my country, restored international justice and the rights of 1 million people, forced to flee their homes,” he said.

“We are now facing the new task of demining and restoration of our liberated territories. We are moving rapidly on the way towards the reintegration of the liberated territories. In the nearest future, we will witness the return of the first families of the displaced persons to their homes,” Bayramov said.

The foreign minister expressed hope that lasting peace and stability would be established in the South Caucasus.

“Azerbaijan will continue efforts to strengthen peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,” he said.

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Courtesy report.az

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BAKU, NOV 20: After renewed heavy fighting on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent weeks, both sides appear to have accepted a proposal to meet for mediation talks at the highest level.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry in Baku said on Saturday that President Ilham Aliyev was prepared to meet Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on December 15 in Brussels. Armenia has also reportedly agreed to the meeting.

According to Brussels, the meeting, which will take place on the sidelines of the so-called EU Eastern Partnership summit, is being held at the initiative of EU Council President Charles Michel.

At the beginning of the week, the situation on the border between the two former Soviet republics escalated again, leaving over 10 people dead in total.

Armenia has also accused its neighbor of capturing around a dozen of its soldiers. The situation has subsequently eased, however.

Since last year’s war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Azerbaijan recaptured large parts of its erstwhile territory, there have been repeated skirmishes between the two sides, despite a ceasefire monitored by Russian peacekeeping troops being in force.

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Courtesy Anews

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ISTANBUL, NOV 13: President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented the "Turkish World High Order" to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the 8th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries (Turkic Council) held in Istanbul.

The 8th Summit of Heads of State of the Turkic Council, organized with the theme of "Green Technologies and Smart Cities in the Digital Age", started on the Democracy and Freedoms Island in Istanbul.

President Erdoğan, who officially opened the Turkic Council General Secretariat building together with the leaders of the Turkic Council member countries before the summit, presented the President of Azerbaijan Aliyev with the "High Order of the Turkic World" for the Karabakh Victory, in accordance with the decision taken by the Council of Heads of Turkic Speaking Countries.

In the award decision of the Council of Heads of Turkic Speaking States, "Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, on the grounds that he made significant contributions to the Turkish unity with his historic victory that re-established the territorial integrity and liberation of the lands of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and paved the way for permanent peace and stability in the region", stated that "Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev has been appointed by the Council of Heads of State. Upon his proposal, the President of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has decided to award His Excellency Ilham Aliyev with the 'Great Order of the Turkic World'.

The decision was signed by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the award ceremony, said:

“Mr. President, Dear Brother, Victorious Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Ilham Aliyev. Under your determined leadership, the occupation of Karabakh, which lasted for almost 30 years, ended in a short period of 44 days.

This is of great importance not only for our Azerbaijani brothers, but also for the entire Turkic world. As a result of the Patriotic War, the United Nations Security Council resolutions, which had not been implemented for years, were finally implemented. Thus, Azerbaijan has written a message of justice in the memory of the international community. The restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has expanded the unity and equality of the Turkish world. Kharibulbul, the symbol of Karabakh's freedom, was the herald of Victory for the Turkish world. The Karabakh Victory not only liberated the occupied lands, but also paved the way for lasting peace, stability and cooperation in our region.

On this occasion, I am very happy to present the Turkish World Regulations to my dear brother Ilham Aliyev. I commemorate our heroes who rose to the summit of martyrdom on the road to freedom with gratitude and respect.”

Aliyev, who transferred the term presidency of the Turkic Council to President Erdogan, stated that Turkey will successfully carry out the term presidency of the Turkic Council in his speech, and said:

“As the leader of the Turkish world, my dear brother (President Erdogan) will only succeed in these efforts because Turkey has come a long way thanks to his great vision. Turkey has proven to be a great power not only in the region but also globally. The power of Turkey is now recognized all over the world. We are talking about both its political and military power, and there is no country in the world that is not aware of this power of Turkey.”

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Courtesy turkishjournal

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BAKU, NOV 10: Azerbaijan draws attention with its projects in Karabakh as the region was liberated in November last year after nearly 30 years of occupation.

The areas liberated from the occupation resemble a large construction site where feverish work has been carried out over the past year.

Tanks, which had been moving on the old roads of the region a year ago, have now been replaced by construction equipment and trucks.

Some 2.2 billion manats ($1.29 billion) were allocated from the 2021 state budget for the reconstruction of the liberated areas.

Fuzuli International Airport was the first major project completed by Azerbaijan that started construction work in the region immediately after the end of the 2nd Karabakh War on Nov. 10, 2020.

Its foundation was laid on Jan. 14, 2021. The airport, described as “Karabakh’s gateway to the world,” was inaugurated on Oct. 26.

Meanwhile, the construction work continues also at Zangilan and Lachin airports.

RECONSTRUCTION OF REGIONS LIBERATED FROM OCCUPATION

The liberated cities need to be rebuilt as all settlements were completely destroyed during the occupation years.

The Azerbaijani government, as a first step, is planning to rebuild the city of Agdam.

Agdam is expected to be a modern city where more than 50,000 people will live in nearly three years.

Meanwhile, a total of 200 houses are being built in the Agali village of Zangilan that has been restructured under the concept of “smart village.”

The reconstruction work in the village, rebuilt with alternative energy sources, ecological heating and smart lighting systems, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The first residents are expected to be settled in the village by the beginning of 2022.

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN REGION

Meanwhile, an agricultural park project was launched by Turkish and Azerbaijani investors near the smart Agali village.

Agricultural activities will be carried out with modern technologies on the Dost Agropark Smart Agriculture Campus, the foundation of which was laid by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

A total of 20,000 hectares of land were cleared of mines, while 50,000 mines and unexploded ordnance planted by the Armenian army were neutralized in the liberated areas.

The Azerbaijani government started work to deliver electricity to the liberated areas while the war was still going on.

Substations were built in Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, and Kalbajar districts.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is building new highways in the liberated areas.

The total length of the highways, completed and under construction in the region, is 723 kilometers (449 miles).

Authorities aim to complete the construction works of the main highways in the region by 2025.

CONFLICT BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27 last year, with the Armenian army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day military conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and some 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.

Prior to this, about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory was under illegal occupation.

The two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

The cease-fire was seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose forces withdrew in line with the agreement.

On Jan. 11 this year, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. The deal also included the establishment of a trilateral working group on Karabakh.

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Courtesy Anews

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