Azerbaijan condemns Belgian parliamentary resolution as biased, unfounded

The Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan has issued a strong protest against a resolution adopted by the Belgian Chamber of Representatives on July 17, condemning it as biased and containing unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan.

According to a statement released by the Azerbaijani parliament and reported by Caliber.Az, the resolution is based on unchecked, erroneous, and one-sided information. It ignores the complex political, legal, and humanitarian realities in the South Caucasus region, disregarding fundamental principles of international law, justice, and parliamentary objectivity.

“The authors of this document, based on unchecked, erroneous, and one-sided information, ignore the established political, legal, and humanitarian situation in the South Caucasus region, disregarding the principles and norms of international law, as well as the criteria of justice and objectivity by which every parliament should be guided.

The resolution essentially denies the lawful and sovereign right of the Republic of Azerbaijan to restore its territorial integrity. The anti-terrorist operation conducted by Azerbaijan in September 2023 was aimed solely against the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal armed formations on the territory of Karabakh and fully complied with international law.

During this operation, not a single civilian was harmed, nor was any religious or cultural monument damaged,” the statement reads.

The Milli Majlis emphasised that attempts by members of the Belgian parliament to accuse Azerbaijan of “war crimes” and “human rights violations” are unfounded and politically motivated:
“The resolution remains silent about the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories by the armed forces of Armenia, numerous crimes committed during this period against the peaceful Azerbaijani population, acts of genocide, ethnic cleansing, the destruction of our cities and villages, the looting and desecration of our national, cultural, religious, and historical heritage.

Regarding the so-called ‘illegal arrests,’ it is appropriate to remind that individuals of Armenian nationality currently on trial in Baku are accused of crimes such as military aggression, war crimes, enforced disappearances, torture, terrorism, and much more. Their rights are guaranteed, the judicial process is transparent, and no complaints of ill-treatment have been reported from them. Raising claims on this matter is nothing more than interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.”

The statement notes that the resolution contains provocative and erroneous interpretations of the concept of Western Azerbaijan, which enshrines the right of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis—who were mass deported or forcibly expelled from Armenia—to peacefully return to the lands of their ancestors.

“Contrary to its declared goals, this resolution does not contribute to the establishment of peace. At a time when serious steps are being taken to advance a peaceful agenda, circles connected to the Armenian diaspora in the parliaments of countries such as Belgium and Switzerland, as well as in the European Parliament, seek to derail the peace process and create new hotspots of tension in the region. We call on the members of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives to abandon the practice of adopting such biased documents, to respect the principles and norms of international law, the rights of all peoples in the region, and to refrain from actions that could exacerbate the situation,” the parliament emphasised.

By Vugar Khalilov