Baku condemns USAID deputy administrator’s anti-Azerbaijani statement

Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada has said that the ministry condemns the anti-Azerbaijani remarks by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman.

"The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry strongly condemns and resolutely rejects the anti-Azerbaijani remarks by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman at the Independence Day event in the Embassy of Armenia in the United States on September 16, 2024," he said, Caliber.Az reports.

“Highly irresponsible remarks by the Deputy Administrator are aimed at distorting the facts about the antiterror measures by Azerbaijan in its sovereign territories that ended the illegal presence of Armenia’s forces in its territories,” he noted.  

“Azerbaijan’s measures were in full compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law, and have never targeted the civilian population. Instead of condemning the non-fulfillment of obligation on withdrawal of Armenia’s armed forces, and political-military provocations by Armenian leadership, including the reckless congratulatory message by the prime minister of Armenia of September 2, 2023 addressed to the puppet regime sustained by Armenia for the last 30 years that led to the anti-terror measures, USAID’s officials claim against Azerbaijan is nothing than emboldening separatism and revanchist forces within Armenia,” Hajizada stressed.  

He added that USAID’s shortsighted policy that has not shown the same enthusiasm about ten times larger Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs in the region, and ignorance of current realities is detrimental, and will not yield any result for the sake of peace and security in the region.