Azerbaijan’s envoy pushes back against COP29 slanders in Swedish media Focus on peace and green energy

The Swedish newspaper "Sydsvenskan" recently published biased reports by pro-Armenian factions concerning the upcoming 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), scheduled to be held in Baku in November.

In response, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, Zaur Ahmedov, swiftly countered these allegations in an article, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

"Accusations portraying Azerbaijan's hosting of COP29 as a mere 'propaganda victory' following the conflict with Armenia ignore our progress towards achieving lasting peace," Ahmedov wrote.

The ambassador explained that the resolution of the conflict, triggered by Armenia’s illegal occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory and the displacement of one million civilians, was essential for restoring Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. However, the large-scale devastation and landmine contamination in the liberated areas continue to hinder the return of refugees.

Ahmedov further highlighted that Azerbaijan has been advocating for a peace agreement with Armenia since 2020, as well as a comprehensive pact aimed at stabilizing the South Caucasus. Yet, Armenia's ongoing territorial claims against Azerbaijan, enshrined in its constitution, pose a significant barrier to achieving a lasting ceasefire.

"Azerbaijan's proposal for the Armenian residents of Karabakh to remain as part of a multi-ethnic Azerbaijan was disregarded. Their voluntary relocation to Armenia should be seen as a result of years of separatist propaganda, rather than a forced displacement," the ambassador emphasized.

Ahmedov also pointed out that inspired by the Olympic ceasefire, Azerbaijan, as the COP29 president, launched a key initiative calling for a joint ceasefire during the conference, prioritizing the global climate crisis. The initiative underscores the deep connection between conflict-related ecosystem destruction and climate change.

He concluded by noting that Azerbaijan is not only a significant oil and gas producer but is now undergoing a green energy transition. "By 2030, 30% of our energy will be renewable, and we plan to export green electricity to Europe through an undersea Black Sea cable," Ahmedov wrote.

By Tamilla Hasanova