Azerbaijan rejects Armenian claims on separatist treatment as false and unfounded

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, addressed recent diplomatic developments involving Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia, as well as ongoing legal proceedings in Azerbaijan.

Commenting on the invitation extended to Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia, Rahman Mustafayev, to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hajiyev told local media that such diplomatic practices, including inviting ambassadors and holding meetings to exchange positions, are part of standard protocol, per Caliber.Az.

“It is a normal diplomatic practice to invite ambassadors to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hold various meetings with them, and exchange positions,” Hajiyev stated.

He also noted that the Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mikhail Yevdokimov, had been invited to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where Baku's official stance on various issues, including those of significant concern, was communicated. 

On January 27, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin met with Ambassador Mustafayev, where he rejected accusations in Azerbaijani media against Russia, calling them unfounded. When discussing the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane on December 25, 2024, near Aktau in Kazakhstan, the need to complete an official investigation and make public its results in order to clarify all the circumstances of the tragedy was stressed.

The following day, on January 28, Ambassador Yevdokimov was again summoned to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this meeting, Baku expressed its concerns over disinformation spread in the Russian press and by some Russian officials, which was causing misunderstanding and contradicting the spirit of the Declaration on Allied Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia. Azerbaijani authorities also made it clear that the results of the preliminary investigation into the plane crash were known, with further work continuing, and openly expressed their expectations from the Russian side. Additionally, the Azerbaijani Ministry addressed reports in the local press about the "Russian House," stressing that such activities in Azerbaijan must be based on reciprocity and in compliance with local laws.

Hajiyev also responded to an ongoing campaign by some Iranian ayatollahs against Azerbaijan, stating that despite such efforts, the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran remain positive. “Azerbaijan and Iran are neighbors, and it is important for both countries to maintain friendly and good-neighbourly relations,” he said. Hajiyev emphasized that bilateral relations between the two countries are at a high level, with relevant structures of both nations engaging in dialogue and cooperation. While acknowledging the presence of various forces attempting to influence this process, and disagreements that can occasionally surface in public discourse or the media, Hajiyev stressed the importance of state-level consultations and cooperation.

Addressing recent statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who claimed that psychotropic substances were being used against representatives of the separatist regime, Hajiyev firmly rejected such claims. “We do not consider the statements made by the Armenian leadership to be true,” he said.

Hajiyev reminded the public that a trial is currently underway in Azerbaijan against individuals accused of participating in Armenia's aggression against the country. “The trial is being conducted in a completely objective and fair manner,” he said, stressing that the rights of the accused are fully protected, with their testimonies publicly available through Azerbaijani media. "Therefore, we do not consider correct such statements by the leadership of Armenia," he noted.

“The trial serves as a demonstration of the state responsibility of Armenia,” Hajiyev continued. “Based on the testimonies of the accused, we can conclude that the instructions for their actions came directly from the Republic of Armenia. Armenia was an aggressor and occupying state, and the orders given by that state were carried out by various individuals on the ground.”

However, Hajiyev cautioned against prematurely discussing the final outcome of the trial, asserting that the primary goal is to ensure justice. “The main task here is to achieve justice, and the Azerbaijani people are eagerly awaiting this justice,” he concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova