Azerbaijan summons Polish diplomat over President Duda's controversial visit to Armenian border

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has summoned Michal Greczylo, the Chargé d'Affaires of Poland in Azerbaijan, to express strong objections to a recent visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border region.

During the meeting on 28 November, Azerbaijani officials raised their protest against President Duda’s visit to the village of Kerki, which remains under Armenian occupation. The Polish President participated in anti-Azerbaijani propaganda activities alongside the European Union Mission to Armenia, despite prior warnings from Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing the ministry’s statement.

Azerbaijan reiterated that the mission, which was supposedly aimed at fostering regional stability and confidence-building between Azerbaijan and Armenia, has been misused as a tool for anti-Azerbaijani propaganda.

The ministry emphasized that President Duda’s actions contradict the spirit of Azerbaijan-Poland relations and that such provocations undermine Azerbaijan’s legitimate security interests. The Azerbaijani side called for Poland to avoid steps that could negatively impact bilateral relations and the region’s stability.

The recent visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda to Armenia, where he participated in patrols alongside European Union (EU) observers, has sparked significant diplomatic tension with Azerbaijan. The EU mission, known as the European Union Monitoring Capacity (EUMC), has been stationed in Armenia since February 2023, to monitor the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The mission, which includes both European officials and Polish nationals, was initially deployed to promote regional “stability” and foster “confidence-building” between the two countries.

However, Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised concerns over the mission’s activities, stating that it has been exploited as a tool for intelligence gathering and furthering Armenian interests, rather than genuinely supporting peace efforts. President Duda’s participation in the EU patrols has heightened these concerns, leading to a formal protest from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

In its previous statement, the ministry strongly condemned the visit, describing it as an indication of the EU’s broader anti-Azerbaijani stance. The Azerbaijani government emphasized that despite diplomatic communications urging caution, Poland proceeded with the visit, which was seen as a provocative act. The ministry's statement also highlighted the negative implications for Azerbaijan-Poland relations, referring to the visit as an "unacceptable diplomatic 'binocular show.'"