The Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan strongly condemns the biased, one-sided, disparaging and imprudent, when seen through the prism of international law, thoughts contained in the annual Report on the Implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy that the European Parliament adopted on 28 February 2024.

The consistent reluctance of the European institutions and, in particular, of the European Parliament for many years to pass a political and legal assessment on the grave consequences of the 30-year-long Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the vandalism and the Khojali Genocide one more anniversary of which was marked a few days earlier, has become a common phenomenon in the discriminatory and double-standard-based position of those circles.

The attitude demonstrated to Azerbaijan’s liberation of her lands from the occupation at the cost of great sacrifices and the consequent independent enforcement of the norms and principles of international law under the leadership of President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev was not different from the previous stances, either.

 It appears, however, as though the European Parliament intends to persist in its pursuit of ‘new achievements’ in line with its duplicitous and hypocritical approach to the events unfolding in the South Caucasus Region. Having armed themselves with populism and demagogy, intent on gaining a political capital by issuing documents and making statements that do not serve the cause of peace and stability at all, European politicians, it seems, unwaveringly play the role of ‘a toolbox’ that certain circles have cast them in.

A number of points reflected in the annual report of the European Parliament give every reason to assert this. From these points, which concur with the official statements made by Armenia, it is clear that this document was drawn up under the influence and to the dictation of the Armenian Lobby.

The said document also speaks of the continuing upsurge of the Islamophobic mind-set, chauvinism and racialist ideology in the European Parliament. The European Parliament is demonstrably poised to offer the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe an open competition in a consistent and sustained demonstration of such harmful tendencies.

Not only does this report of the European Parliament distort the realia of the South Caucasus Region, but it is also rather hazardous in nature in light of the current developments.

 At the same time, the European Parliament somehow – and deliberately – ignores the efforts made by no other but Azerbaijan to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region since the conclusion of the 44 days’ Patriotic War – and the political as well as military provocations of Armenia that have harmed the peace process of the past period, and the tensions created on the conventional border.

On the other hand, the said document complete with the absurd claims contained in it, adopted at the time when peace talks are continued in Germany, gives rise to serious questions. Is Europe truly interested in the provision of peace in the South Caucasus? Do the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan matter less than those of Armenia to the European Parliamentarians who call for resolute steps and the introduction of sanctions against Azerbaijan?

As regards the ideas, too, contained in the report, that Armenia needs to be armed, they clearly communicate an intention to aggravate the situation in the region and obstruct the peace process.

We can clearly see that the European Parliament has already adopted the anti-Azerbaijani policy of France, choosing as its political line the fabrications of the ‘politicians’ like Macron and Borrell – the fabrications that serve specific purposes. And these fabrications are without hesitation veiled with efforts to maintain peace, security and democracy.

The European Parliament should realise that, similarly to its earlier resolutions, this document is of no significance to Azerbaijan. The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan cannot be called into question. Nobody can apply pressure to Azerbaijan.

Our country has entered a new era under the guidance of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr Ilham Aliyev already. For the powerful and resolute Azerbaijan which is restoring her de-occupied territories and returning the IDP to their homelands, this is also an era of international co-operation and partnership resting on peace, justice, integrity and sincerity. As regards the ‘principles’ guiding the European Parliament, they are rejected unequivocally.

The Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan strongly condemns the attempts on the part of the European Parliament to harm the efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region and recommends that the European Parliament should busy itself not with such trifling provocations but with the serious and pressing matters that concern Europe.