After we defeated the occupying army of Armenia on the battlefield and expelled them from our lands, we heard statements about support for our territorial integrity, however, we have already provided it ourselves. Whether someone recognizes our territorial integrity or not is irrelevant, said President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev in his statement on July 1 while receiving the credentials of Kevin Hamilton, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to our country.

The head of state emphasized that international recognition of territorial integrity was crucial during the period of occupation:

"Yes, it is known that pro-Armenian sentiments exist in several Western countries and that the Armenian diaspora plays a role. But these emotions should be put aside when it comes to international law. However, it is important to understand that resolving issues that cannot be agreed upon over a 28-year period is difficult. Substantive negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan started in December, because before that, Armenia wanted to include the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in the peace agreement, which was unacceptable."

President Aliyev's remarks underscore Azerbaijan's stance on maintaining and asserting its territorial integrity, irrespective of external recognition or pro-Armenian influences in the West.

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