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Azerbaijani President: We decided to stay the night in Shusha yesterday, although we were supposed to return to Baku. But I thought we had to stay in Shusha

16 January 2021 07:32 (UTC +04:00)

On 15 January, President Ilham Aliyev, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughter Leyla Aliyeva visited the Jidir Duzu plain again.

President Ilham Aliyev said: "On the morning of 15 January today, we came to the Jidir Duzu plain again. We are now leaving Shusha for Baku. Before leaving, we wanted to visit this sacred and historic place again, see this beauty again and say, “Thank you very much” to Shusha and “See you next time”. We have returned to our homeland, we have liberated Shusha. From now on, the people of Azerbaijan will live in Shusha forever.

We visited all historical sites, our sacred mosques in Shusha yesterday. I can say with heartache that the level of destruction here is very upsetting for every Azerbaijani. However, we are extremely proud to see Shusha unbent and majestic, albeit destroyed. Shusha is on its feet. Shusha is not broken. Shusha is standing tall! Hard as the hated enemy tried, they could not change the appearance of Shusha. We will heal all the wounds of Shusha. Shusha will become one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

We decided to stay the night in Shusha yesterday, although we were supposed to return to Baku. But I thought we had to stay in Shusha because this is the first time the President of Azerbaijan has visited Shusha. Our independence is about 30 years old. However, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Commander-in-Chief came to Shusha for the first time in 30 years, stayed in Shusha and, frankly, does not want to leave.

The unique architecture, natural terrain, landscapes, atmosphere and aura of the city are unparalleled. As I mentioned yesterday, I visited Shusha twice in 1982. At that time, several events were held here. So I didn’t get to see Shusha the way it was yesterday, the way it is today. I saw once again that the unique aura, nature and architecture of this city are our great assets.

I slept only five hours last night. I woke up at 5 o'clock. I don't know why. Perhaps yesterday was too exciting because it is such a unique feeling to see Shusha, to return to Shusha. It is possible that the pleasant nature and air of Shusha are enough for a person not to want to sleep much. Before returning to Baku, I came here again, to the Jidir Duzu plain, to the historic place of Shusha, to address the people of Azerbaijan again. I want to say that we are a lucky nation to have restored our territorial integrity. We are a lucky nation to have asserted ourselves as an independent state. Let me say again – Shusha is ours! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!"