Azerbaijani president's aide accuses US lawmakers of using COP29 as political tool

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, has responded to an inquiry by the US publication E&E News, a specialized edition of Politico.

In his statement, Hajiyev accused the US congressmen who addressed the State Department of being biased, Caliber.Az reports.

The letter, led by Congressman Frank Pallone and signed by 60 pro-Armenian members of Congress, called on the US government to hold Azerbaijan accountable for “war crimes, hostage-taking, and the illegal occupation of Armenian territory.” The letter was sent ahead of the upcoming UN Climate Summit COP29 in Baku.

“It’s no secret that many of the signatories [of the letter to the State Department] are in close contact with Armenian lobbying groups in the United States. Some members of Congress, likely preparing for elections, may need financial support and votes from the Armenian lobby,” Hajiyev stated.

He also criticized the use of the climate summit as a political tool, saying, “Turning COP into a political instrument and campaigning against countries is wrong. This is an attempt to divert attention from the main goals of fighting climate change. Climate change is a global issue that concerns the entire world.”

Hajiyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to making COP29 a success: “Azerbaijan is doing everything possible to turn the upcoming COP29 conference into a success story, working with like-minded countries for the sake of our planet and advancing the global climate agenda.”

By Khagan Isayev