Yerevan /Mediamax/. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated today that a meeting of representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia is scheduled in Brussels in early May.

Speaking today at the meeting with the participants of “The South Caucasus: Development and Cooperation” international conference, Aliyev said that “reconciliation with Armenia is not an easy process, but there is no alternative.”

“Azerbaijani society treats the process of a peace treaty with Armenia with understanding. It’s not easy, we understand that, but we do not need another war. At the same time, we must protect ourselves from any possible revanchist risks from Armenia. Therefore, on the one hand, we must strengthen our army, and on the other hand, prepare the Azerbaijani society for peace,” the Azerbaijani president said.

He suggested establishing contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the level of civil society – non-governmental organizations and journalists.

Ilham Aliyev stated that “positive messages are coming from the Armenians living in Karabakh, and the first contacts have already begun.”

“They can take part in economic development in a single Azerbaijani state, feel more secure and calm. But for this they, first of all, must put an end to separatist tendencies, realize the realities.”

They should look at maps, geography and understand that hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis will return to Kalbajar, Lachin, Shusha, Agdam in the very near future, and they will have to live in such an environment, in the neighborhood. They must put an end to the hostility, isolate the separatists. And they will see the benefits of this,” Aliyev stated.