Foreign

Home page

Foreign

Dutch ambassador clarifies parliament’s controversial document on Azerbaijan

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Azerbaijan, Marianne de Jong

29 April 2026 11:10 (UTC +04:00)

A document adopted by the Dutch Parliament does not affect our relations, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Azerbaijan, Marianne de Jong, said at a press conference, APA reports.

The ambassador commented on the dissatisfaction in Azerbaijan caused by decisions adopted in the Dutch Parliament.

“I understand that. I would like to explain a bit more about the separation of powers in our country. Our parliament operates independently of the government. We cannot influence them. We can only provide information, but they make their own decisions. The parliament consists of 150 members representing different views in society,” the ambassador said.

The diplomat acknowledged that there is a tendency for pro-Armenian forces to have a stronger voice in the Dutch Parliament: “Nevertheless, I know that there is also a fairly large Azerbaijani community in the Netherlands. Perhaps in the future they will also be represented in the Dutch Parliament. For us, parliament is a platform for discussion. They make their decisions independently. In fact, this was a repeated decision that had been proposed around 8–9 times. Therefore, it was expected to be adopted again. However, it could not be said with certainty, as the political landscape had changed somewhat. In the end, the parliament adopted this decision. But for me, the most important point is that this did not change the government’s position at all. The instructions given to me have not changed. We looked at it and said, ‘Thank you for your opinion.’ But we continue our work, because the government has a very balanced position on this issue.”

Marianne de Jong noted that the Netherlands maintains relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia: “We talk to both countries. We support the process of achieving peace in the region. This is very important.”

She also expressed hope that documents adopted in parliament would not affect intergovernmental relations.

“I see that the European Union has also demonstrated a balanced approach over the past year and a half. In all visits by Commissioner Kos, Special Representative Grono, Costa, and other high-level officials, the same message has been repeated: We are here to support the peace process. We are here to help and are ready to provide support in whatever way you see fit. Therefore, I would say that this issue does not affect that aspect,” the ambassador added.