European Parliament escalates smear campaign against Azerbaijan ahead of COP29 Statement by Western Azerbaijan Community

The Western Azerbaijan Community has expressed concern over the intensifying smear campaign against Azerbaijan by certain external forces, particularly in light of the country's renewed territorial integrity and sovereignty. 

"These entities, fearing that Azerbaijan’s progress may lead to sustainable peace in the region, have ramped up their destructive activities. Among the most active in this regard are the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament, and the parliaments of France and the Netherlands," the Community said in a statement, per Caliber.Az.

"Hypocrites, who for decades supported the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Armenia and the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and the systematic destruction of our cultural heritage, are now making accusations against Azerbaijan," it noted.

The Community stressed that the resolution passed by the European Parliament on October 24 is seen as a continuation of a longstanding smear campaign against Azerbaijan, intensifying just as the region prepares for COP29. 

"The European Parliament, which historically advocated for transferring the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) to the Armenian SSR, has raised its institutional hostility toward Azerbaijan to unprecedented levels. This includes the adoption of numerous documents laden with slander and contrary to international law. It's worth noting that the resolution was adopted on the same day leaders from Azerbaijan and Armenia convened in Kazan," the statement noted.

The community condemned the European Parliament's actions, stating, "We strongly condemn the actions of the European Parliament and its ilk, which are aimed at discrimination on ethnic and religious grounds. These actions serve to foment conflict in the region and attempt to present their destructive initiatives as a 'defence of human rights.' We will continue to expose the anti-Azerbaijani policy of these elements and their efforts to promote their political agenda under the guise of human rights advocacy."

By Tamilla Hasanova