Swedish politician’s anti-Azerbaijan provocation in Yerevan A cynical attempt to disrupt peace talks

There is ample evidence that Yerevan is a city where certain foreign politicians and diplomats, upon visiting, begin making blatantly provocative and inappropriate statements against Azerbaijan. I am not sure what the primary reason for this behaviour is or whether Armenian brandy might feature on the list of motivating factors for such conduct by politicians and diplomats from various countries, but recently we have encountered yet another provocative statement directed at Azerbaijan.

"The proposal [to introduce sanctions against Azerbaijan - ed.] is interesting," said Kenneth Forslund, Vice-Speaker of the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament), during a briefing following a panel discussion on the topic "Together for Peace and Democracy" with the participation of speakers of the parliaments of the Baltic and Nordic countries on 23 January in Yerevan. This one phrase alone is enough to understand that the Swedish politician, to put it mildly, lacks a proper grasp of reality.

But he didn’t stop there. "I will present this issue to my colleagues in Sweden. However, sanctions will mean that there is a unanimous decision within the EU, and I am not entirely familiar with the position of other EU countries," he added. Paradoxically, Forslund believes that diplomacy should be at the core of resolving the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

But that’s not all. According to his assessment, the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war will influence how other conflicts are resolved in the future. "It is very important that Ukraine wins, returns its territories. If Ukraine loses on this issue, it will be a signal to the participants in other wars. This is very dangerous," he added.

Since the topic of Ukraine has come up, let me remind you of a line from the film "Chasing Two Hares" – "I have such a vaudeville in my head, thank you very much," says the film's main character, a swindler named Golokhvasty. In the end, he lies so much that he is exposed, executed, and disgraced. Kenneth Forslund, who demonstrated the vaudeville in his head upon arriving in Yerevan, has already lied. Exposing his stupidity, lies, and provocation seems to be an easy task. They are just too primitive.

Let me start by reminding everyone that Armenia kept 20% of Azerbaijan's territory under occupation for over a quarter of a century. More than a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. The beginning of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was marked by the mass deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, the third such deportation in the last century. This, as we recently learned from footage of the first President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, speaking before the "Yerkrapah" militants, was a deliberate measure and part of the war against Azerbaijan and its people.

Were any sanctions imposed on Armenia for these crimes, including the genocide in Khojaly? No. Did the so-called international community exert any pressure on Armenia for all this, as well as for ignoring four UN Security Council resolutions? Again, no. Yet Sweden is a country that was part of the OSCE Minsk Group. This means it bears responsibility for the prolonged occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia!

In the end, Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity in full. Not thanks to, but despite the position of the OSCE Minsk Group and the leading world powers. And what do we hear? A proposal to impose sanctions on the victim of occupation, rather than the occupying country. The Vice-Speaker of the Swedish Parliament mentioned the Russia-Ukraine war. But has anyone in Sweden or any other European country proposed or is proposing sanctions against Ukraine, whose vast territories are occupied by Russia? No, there has been no such proposal. And this makes sense. But why, then, is there a proposal to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan? The answer to this question is known only to the Vice-Speaker of the Riksdag himself.

He ignored the fact that both Armenian-Azerbaijani wars were fought on our land, not on Armenian territory. He "forgot" that it was peaceful Azerbaijani cities that were subjected to rocket strikes during the 44-day war, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Azerbaijani elderly, women, and children. He "forgot" that the official Yerevan has repeatedly stated its recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. With all of this in mind, uttering the nonsense spoken by Kenneth Forslund is a sign of extreme cynicism and foolishness.

Moreover, the undeniable and indisputable truth is the negative impact that discussions surrounding the possibility of sanctions against Azerbaijan have on the peace negotiations between Baku and Yerevan. In simple terms, the Swedish politician appears to be attempting to derail these negotiations. Whether he is acting on his own initiative or at the behest of the Armenian side is a question that demands a clear answer. Time will reveal the truth. However, Kenneth Forslund has already established a reputation for making provocative and misguided statements in Yerevan, a city that seems to present numerous temptations for foreign politicians.