During a ceremony opening a building to house Karabakh war invalids in Sumgait, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is quoted to have declared Yerevan as “historic Azerbaijani territory” and the present Republic of Armenia a “fictitious” state.

“Erivan khanate is our historical land. Once, in the beginning of the last century in the historical lands of Azerbaijan fictitious Armenian state was created. Now, we can never afford the second fictitious Armenian state is created in the historical lands of Azerbaijan. It will never happen,” Aliyev is alleged to have said according to an APA December 25 article.

The second “fictitious” state he referred to was Artsakh. That too, Aliyev boasted, would be returned to Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity by any means. Both historical justice and international law recognize this right for us.”

Aliyev said that Armenia was dragging its feet on the settlement process in order to prolong the status-quo, adding that Baku was not hopeful and thus could only rely on its own strengths, including the power of the Azerbaijani army.

“Azerbaijan's rights are confirmed by the resolutions and decisions of international organizations. There are four UN Security Council resolutions as well as decisions and resolutions of other international organizations, which demand the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied lands,” Aliyev is quoted to have said in an APA December 25 article.