"We do not integrate anywhere. Where are integrated, that is enough."

"I think that if today we had to make a choice based on a given situation, then, we perhaps, do not enter in the Council of Europe," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on the results of the country’s socio-economic development in the first half of 2015 and the objectives for the future

The Head of the State noted that sometimes he heard from government officials, MPs, public figures that we should integrate into Europe: “Think about it when you say it. First, you must know the position of the President. Secondly, how you will integrate, in what form it will be. Do you need this integration or not? In what capacity, do they want to take Azerbaijan? As a secondary member, associate member or as a stitch country? This format is not needed. Wherever necessary, we have integrated. We did it in those days, when the situation in Europe was different. I think that if today we had to make a choice based on a given situation, then, we perhaps, do not enter in the Council of Europe. How long can Azerbaijan be offended? How much can you attempt to humiliate us? We are out of patience. We perfectly can live without the Council of Europe, and lived. We lived until 2001. While in Azerbaijan, there was the civil war, the Armenian occupation, the political crisis, the economic downturn. We have lived, and did not die.

We joined for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the first place. The question was this. We knew that Armenia was eager to join the Council of Europe. We also wanted to be there in order to solve the issue fairly. But what we see: injustice, double standards, Islamophobia, jealousy, misery. Recently, during the European Games they adopted a resolution. The proposed text of the resolution by the rapporteurs way saying: Assembly considers that Azerbaijani lands are under occupation. They have changed the proposal and wrote: Assembly takes into account the existence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What does it mean?! This is an outright anti-Azerbaijani position. Therefore, once again I return to the topic. "We do not integrate anywhere. Where are integrated, that is enough. If necessary, we will join another union, but as an equal partner, as a decent country.”

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