Baku urges EU to rethink "binoculars diplomacy" for true impartiality in peace process President Aliyev’s strong message to Brussels

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently received the credentials of newly appointed ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary from several countries, including Estonia, Benin, Denmark, Qatar, and Belgium. During these meetings, discussions centred on the future development of Azerbaijan's bilateral relations with these nations, as well as the upcoming COP29 climate conference scheduled to take place in Baku this November.

Notably, President Aliyev's remarks to the Belgian Ambassador, representing the European Union, garnered significant attention in the context of the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaijani peace settlement.

During the discussions, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized Brussels as a key platform for the successful negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, highlighting the support of Charles Michel, President of the Council of the European Union. He pointed out that the Armenian side chose not to continue the peace process.

By underscoring the significance of Michel's mission, who is notably a Belgian citizen, President Aliyev expressed his belief that there are constructive forces within the European Union that recognize the importance of achieving a long-lasting and fair peace, rather than succumbing to the whims of Yerevan.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that all clauses of the peace treaty hold equal significance and cannot be treated separately. He expressed scepticism regarding the Armenian government's proposal to “sign everything that has been agreed so far and leave the unagreed provisions for subsequent stages,” calling it strange and unrealistic, and highlighting the lack of precedent for such an approach.

In doing so, Aliyev once again challenged the credibility of Yerevan's purportedly peace-loving statements. He further elaborated that during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the so-called “Madrid process principles” underscored that no issue could be considered agreed upon until all matters were settled.

"This was the position held by then-OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and remains Azerbaijan's stance. Unfortunately, some former Minsk Group members have changed their positions and now support Armenia's unrealistic proposals," the Head of State added.

President Ilham Aliyev underscored the irony of European support for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's “peace-loving proposals,” pointing out their inherent contradictions with the principles the Europeans themselves helped draft. He argued that this support undermines the credibility of the EU's position.

Furthermore, Aliyev emphasized that the European Union should maintain a neutral stance in the ongoing peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, reinforcing the need for an impartial approach to foster a genuine resolution to the conflict.

"EU had never been active during the occupation period. Back then numerous approaches to the EU and other European institutions were met with the response that the Minsk Group was responsible, and the EU had no involvement. However, the EU seems to be actively involved now. Unfortunately, we see that some figures in Brussels, at EU headquarters, took sides. This is counterproductive. This only creates mistrust and isolates the EU from the normalization process. My recommendation, if I may afford to make this recommendation for the sake of continued cooperation between EU and Azerbaijan, would be not to follow the footsteps of France and not to find themselves under France's influence, because France's policy was absolutely destructive, and remains absolutely destructive, with respect to Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process," he said.

President Aliyev has directly linked the European Union's biased stance in the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations to the destructive influence of France. He urged Brussels to avoid sacrificing its relationship with Azerbaijan to cater to Paris's interests.

Aliyev also highlighted a key issue undermining trust between Azerbaijan and the EU: the extension of the so-called “European observer mission” along the border, which occurred without Baku's consent or prior consultation. This unilateral action has further strained the dynamics between Azerbaijan and the EU.

"Why it was necessary?! Because Azerbaijan agreed in October 2022 in Prague that the mission was supposed to stay a couple of months with a limited number of retired military officers. But when the mission was prolonged, they did not consult with us,” the Azerbaijani leader noted, adding that discussions are in progress for further extension.

The head of state went on to say that the behaviour of the members of this mission, the so-called "binoculars diplomacy", was unacceptable and was beyond any standards of normal political culture and Azerbaijan will continue to raise these issues in its communications with the EU.

Indeed, the observation mission's actions, particularly the symbolic gesture of pointing binoculars toward Azerbaijan, clearly convey a hostile sentiment that contradicts the intended spirit of strategic partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan. It is entirely reasonable for the President to highlight the unacceptability of such behaviours.

In response to these remarks, the Belgian Ambassador expressed his gratitude and pledged to make every effort to strengthen bilateral relations. He underscored the vast potential for cooperation between the two nations across various sectors. 

We hope that the Belgian diplomat will genuinely work towards fostering a more positive political atmosphere in Belgium and the EU regarding their stance on Azerbaijan and the ongoing peace process.