Azerbaijan's independent foreign policy displeases the West Experts examine the anti-Azerbaijani sentiments

On October 24, coinciding with the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Kazan, the European Parliament once again targeted Azerbaijan by adopting a resolution filled with absurd claims, accusations, and threats. Simultaneously, the European Parliament demonstrates a special attitude towards Armenia, encouraging its revanchism and militarism.

What objectives does the newly restructured European Parliament seek to achieve by actively promoting an anti-Azerbaijani agenda, and who is behind this initiative? To explore these questions, a correspondent from Caliber.Az reached out to foreign political experts.

According to Aslan Rubayev, a Russian political analyst and international relations expert, Azerbaijan is currently the flagship of the South Caucasus.

“Azerbaijan is pursuing a successful, well-balanced, and multi-vector foreign policy, which does not align with the geopolitical interests of the West. The West is clearly focused on using various tools—economic and political—to try to influence Azerbaijan's foreign policy. In simpler terms, Baku is synthesizing an independent policy based on its own interests rather than subordinating them to US interests, as most European countries, particularly France, do today. This allows Baku to engage with the West on equal terms while also developing economic and political ties with Russia, cooperating with Iran, and maintaining a brotherly relationship with Turkey. Such independence is certainly unsettling for the West, which is accustomed to exerting control, and as a result, it is attempting to apply pressure on Azerbaijan through certain European structures. I am confident that Azerbaijan will not yield to this pressure, especially considering the example of Armenia, a neighbouring country that has become obedient, powerless, and has lost its sovereignty,” Rubayev stated.

Kazakh political scientist Ruslan Salikhov believes that the anti-Azerbaijani fervour in the West has reached its peak. He points out that the Armenian lobby is doing everything it can to undermine Azerbaijan’s political authority ahead of COP29 and to derail Baku’s plans for hosting the climate summit at the highest level.

“We see that the Armenian lobby has indeed made a significant effort. Europarliamentarians have literally, and I apologize for the comparison, gone off the rails in their attempts to defame Azerbaijan. In my opinion, this indicates that this theatre was premeditated; there was a separate briefing for the pro-Armenian corrupt Europarliamentarians on who and how to accuse Azerbaijan. The script is evident—one can notice the multitude of absurd and entirely different accusations levied against Azerbaijan. Overall, it’s a whole mishmash of accusations, the variety of which suggests that the Armenian lobby has decided to use every means at its disposal, even the most ridiculous tactics. However, I believe that there are indeed rational people within the governments of European countries and the leadership of the EU who understand perfectly well who is inciting anti-Azerbaijani sentiments and persuading Europarliamentarians to slander and vilify Baku, despite the EU's own interests, which desperately need Azerbaijan as a stable and reliable partner,” Salikhov stated.