Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry slams Canadian FM Mélanie Joly for pro-Armenian bias

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strong rebuke of Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, accusing her of demonstrating blatant bias and ignoring grave crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan and its people.

In a statement published on the social media platform X, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada condemned the Canadian official for aligning herself with the Armenian diaspora’s narrative rather than upholding Canada’s own national interests, Caliber.Az reports.

Engaging in advocacy for the Armenian National Committee of Canada (@ancc_cnac), rather than prioritizing Canadian national interests and maintaining credibility on the international stage, raises serious concerns about the judgment and awareness required for the role of Foreign… https://t.co/O9yM2SEe0k

— Aykhan Hajizada (@Aykhanh) April 24, 2025

“Engaging in advocacy for the Armenian National Committee of Canada, rather than prioritizing Canadian national interests and maintaining credibility on the international stage, raises serious concerns about the judgment and awareness required for the role of Foreign Minister,” Hajizada stated.

The Azerbaijani official expressed deep concern over Joly’s apparent failure to acknowledge the suffering endured by the Azerbaijani people during the decades-long occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenian forces.

“Unfortunately, you never acknowledged the suffering of more than 1 million Azerbaijanis who faced ethnic cleansing, massacres, atrocities, cultural erasures and other crimes against humanity committed by Armenia,” he continued.

In his post, Hajizada warned against the dangers of one-sided narratives, adding: “As it is well said: 'Bias, like a shadow, darkens the light of reason.' Just a kind reminder: always stick to facts, not false narratives of Armenian diaspora.”

The spokesperson also defended Azerbaijan’s September 2023 anti-terror measures carried out in the country’s Karabakh region.

“Azerbaijan’s counter-terrorism measures in 2023, was legitimate and proportionate response to provocations of Armenia’s illegal military units present in the territories of Azerbaijan. The operation, that lasted less than 24 hours, aimed to neutralize illegal Armenian military formations and infrastructure, being in full compliance with international humanitarian law,” he said.

Hajizada emphasised that the military operation specifically avoided harm to civilians, refuting claims of forced displacement.

“Civilian populations and infrastructure were not targeted, and Armenian residents’ departure from the region was a voluntary choice,” he added.

On April 24, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly marked the events of 1915 in a video message posted on the social media platform X, stating that "over 1.5 million Armenians were killed" and stressing the need to remember their stories. In the same post, she referred to the situation in the South Caucasus, claiming that 120,000 Armenians from Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region were “forcibly displaced” in 2023.

By Vugar Khalilov