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egy of the country. Azerbaij an and other republics of the former USSR were 
living in a completely diff erent system for sevnety years. You had information 
about that system when you studied at university. However, you haven't felt it 
personally. We - Mikheil and I were living in that system. Fortunately, we were 
young enough when the system collapsed. We managed to benefi t more than 
the elder generations from the freedom and independence aft er the collapse of 
the system. We managed to become members of the international community. 
One of the achievements of Azerbaij an today is in the ability to maintain real 
independence of the country despite of all diffi
  culties, despite the occupation 
of our territories, despite domestic diffi
  culties, civil war and other dangerous 
processes. There are not any foreign military bases in the territory of our coun-
try. We pursue the policy, which fully meets our national interests, but not the 
interests of other structures.
Of course, the process of democratization is going on in our region. If we 
compare the present Azerbaij an with the one of 10 years ago, you will see that 
the country was very far form the standards and norms of a democratic com-
munity. If you are asking me today if Azerbaij an meets all the criteria, I would 
say: Azerbaij an doesn't meet all the standards formed in the free world for over 
a century. It is very early to wait from the republics of the former USSR the same 
level of democracy as in the European community. However, the policy is pur-
sued to achieve it. Strategy and strategic choice have been made. Our country 
has been integrating successfully into the international community since1993. 
The process of Democratization is going on very successfully, too.
Question: I am from Estonia. I have a question to Mr. Saakashvili. What are 
the role and interests of Russia in the revolution that took place in Georgia?
Mikheil Saakashvili: I think that the relations between Russia and Georgia 
were very tense. I couldn't imagine relations worse than they. In the last 10 
years Russia has participated in two wars in the territory of Georgia and not 
in our favour. Its fi rst reaction to the "revolution of roses" was very negative. 
The Russian were saying that it was the use of the Latin-American experience 
of the us a in CIS countries. As CIS leader, Russia was also under the infl u-
ence of other CIS leaders, as those leaders were considering the revolution as 
threats to themselves. However, it is a few months since an intensive and kind 
dialogue has been set up with Russia. Some measures have been taken. Our 
policy is built on more pragmatic form. Russia has lawful worries in the region. 
For example, security of its borders is low, chances of entry into the territory 
through these borders are very high. Besides, Russia has economic interests in 
the region. However, in conditions of investments, pragmatic policy should be 
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preferred to the economic activity. As to Russia's motives, I can say that ratio-
nalism was absent in the basis of the Russian policy.
Question: Karen Gazaryan, ministry of foreign aff airs of Armenia. Let me 
thank the speakers for the wonderful presentation. Mr. Aliyev, in your speech 
you called the Nagorno-Karabakh as an uncontrolled and illegal territory. I 
would like to remind you that the Nagorno-Karabakh established its own struc-
tures. Its institutes are working and ready to make contribution to peace and 
security in the region. Last month the tenth anniversary of the fi re-cease was 
celebrated in the Nagorno-Karabakh. The parties are controlling that them-
selves. This is the longest cease- fi re in the world. I have a question: why your 
government isn't satisfi ed with the activity of the Minsk Group of OSCE ? Your 
offi
  cials have made in Baku a number of statements about that.
Ilham Aliyev: Observing the chronology, I would like to state my att itude 
to your comment and then answer to your question. The Nagorno-Karabakh 
hasn't been recognized by any structure in the world. This is a not recognized, 
illegal and so-called self-declared structure. The Nagorno-Karabakh is a seri-
ous threat to the region. I have already numerated the reasons. The interna-
tional monitoring is being carried out. Drug traffi
  ckers use this territory. There 
are proofs for that. There are camps of terrorists there. It is known that the ter-
rorists are respected there. Where should terrorists hide? Of course in the un-
controlled zones. The Nagorno-Karabakh is one of such zones and, of course, 
a threat not only for Azerbaij an, but for the whole region.
The reason that we aren't satisfi ed with the mission of mediators is known. 
They have not achieved any result. The territorial integrity of Azerbaij an has 
been violated. Armenia occupied 20% of the Azerbaij an lands, including the 
Nagorno-Karabakh. Besides use territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh, seven oth-
er districts of Azerbaij an have been occupied. As you are aware, the Armenians 
have never lived in those seven districts, 700 thousand Azerbaij anis living in 
those districts have become IDPs in their own country. Besides, 250 thousand 
Azerbaij anis living in the Armenian territories were deprived as a result of the 
ethnic cleansing. And nearly 50 thousand Azerbaij anis living in the territory 
of the Nagorno-Karabakh still live in tent camps in hard conditions as a result 
of the ethnic cleansing. This is the situation caused by the war of Armenia 
against Azerbaij an. The Armenian propaganda has been hiding the truth for 
many years. They want to make the world community forget the confl ict, its 
reason, solve the problem in their favour. The whole world should know and 
everybody knows what is happening in Azerbaij an. The territorial integrity of 
Azerbaij an has been violated. Norms of international law have been ignored. 
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