Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made history by visiting the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, for the first time. This symbolic visit follows Azerbaijan’s recapture of the region from Armenian separatists in September. The Azerbaijani president raised the national flag in the city’s central square, asserting his country’s sovereignty over the territory.
This surprise and unprecedented visit marks a victory for Ilham Aliev and his country. Since his accession to the presidency 20 years ago, his main objective was to regain control of Nagorno-Karabakh and reunify his country. This achievement is considered a great happiness and a historic event for Azerbaijan.
It is important to note that this situation has led to tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Armenia, feeling threatened for its security, recently signed the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, hoping to prosecute Azerbaijan for what it describes as “war crimes”. The two countries are also in talks at the initiative of the European Union to ease tensions between them.
This gesture by President Ilham Aliev highlights the complexity of the situation and the political issues linked to it. It also underlines the importance of national sovereignty and Azerbaijan’s desire to reestablish its control over this region which has been disputed for decades.
This historic visit and the events that preceded it are the subject of numerous debates and questions. It is essential to closely monitor the evolution of the situation and understand the political, historical and geostrategic issues associated with it.