The art of tact: Baku demonstrates equality-based diplomacy to its Western ill-wishers Bayramov on the guard of the national interests

On December 11, during his working visit to Brussels, where he had arrived to take part in the EaP ministerial conference, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with European diplomats known for their hostility to Azerbaijan. In particular, Bayramov had talks with the head of pan-European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, as well as the Belgian foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, with whom he discussed the current situation in the region.

Although the EU has an excessive interest in the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement in the post-conflict period in the South Caucasus and wants to act as one of the facilitators of the negotiation process, this does not stop Borrell and Lahbib from expressing anti-Azerbaijani sentiments. In this context, we should remember the recent inappropriate remarks made by Borrell on the need to provide military assistance to Armenia, as well as his threats to Azerbaijan of 'severe consequences for any violation of Armenia's territorial integrity' after Azerbaijan's full restoration of sovereignty over Karabakh in September 2023 as a result of counter-terrorism operations. In particular, Borrell said at a press conference after the EU Council meeting in Brussels in November this year: "We have to be very vigilant against any attempt to destabilise Armenia, both internally and externally. And our message to Azerbaijan is clear: any violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia is not acceptable and would have serious consequences for our relations".

Furthermore, on December 4, at the NGO Forum of the European Union, he made the provocative statement that "the outcome of the long-frozen Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was decided by the military intervention, as a result of which 150,000 people had to leave their homes in one week". Either the office of the head of the European diplomatic service is working poorly and giving its boss false information, or there is an attempt to please Yerevan in some way.

Despite Borrell's bias, however, Baku is refusing to back down and continues to play the diplomatic card. Why would Bayramov meet with Borrell, who is openly pro-Armenian? Not only did he meet him, he stressed that biased statements by some EU officials undermine the role of an impartial EU mediator in negotiations. We are sure that Mr Borrell has understood to whom this message from Baku is being addressed.

The same goes for Lahbib. We should remember that when she visited Armenia in August, she made several provocative statements against Azerbaijan at a press conference in Yerevan. Speaking in the presence of the Armenian Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, Lahbib declared that "the rights and security of the Armenian people must be guaranteed" and went on to assure her Armenian counterpart that she'd remind him of this when she visited Baku as well.

"The lives of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are at risk and this is intolerable," she said. The Belgian journalist-turned-minister told the Armenians that Azerbaijan is obliged to ensure the safety of the Karabakh population and the free movement of people through the Lachin Corridor.

Of course, she did not say a word about Armenia's 30-year occupation of foreign territories, the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from their homeland, the Khojaly genocide and ethnic cleansing by Armenians. Azerbaijan reacted in kind to Lahbib's antics - President Aliyev refused to receive her in Baku, where she flew from Yerevan.

Moreover, this is not the Belgian minister's only attack on Azerbaijan. On her microblog X, she wrote that "Belgium condemns Azerbaijan's military actions against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and expresses its deep regret for the many victims", literally immediately after Karabakh returned to Azerbaijan's legal control.

Thus, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Hadja Lahbib within the framework of participation in the Eastern Partnership foreign ministers' meeting. Lahbib's comment on the results of the meeting shows that Bayramov managed to convince his Belgian colleague of the fallacy of her unilateral position: "I was glad to have communication with my Azerbaijani colleague. Belgium strongly supports the efforts for peace and a comprehensive settlement with Azerbaijan and Armenia, and this contributes to the stability of the region".

Of course, when we are confronted with injustice against our country, we, Azerbaijanis, feel uncomfortable and even insulted to some extent. But, as we can see, this does not prevent the Azerbaijani diplomacy from making its position known to the world, including to the ill-wishers of our country. However, defending national interests has always been inherent in Azerbaijan's diplomacy. Bayramov's meetings with Borrell and Lahbib proved it once again.