The attempts of different organizations of the European Union to disrupt the positive background in Azerbaijan-EU relations from time to time continue consistently. Following the decision of the Azerbaijani delegation being deprived of voting rights in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution containing calls on sanctions against Azerbaijan. The resolution once again contains unrealistic and baseless assumptions that Azerbaijan allegedly might attack Armenia.
The European Parliament’s particular bias against Azerbaijan is not a secret to anyone. While the European Parliament was not sent an invitation to monitor the February 7 snap presidential elections, the institution made an absurd statement that it would not observe the elections in Azerbaijan.
It must be noted that the number and pace of these absurd statements and accusations increased after Azerbaijan liberated its territorial integrity completely in September 2023. Disturbed by the success of Azerbaijan, which restored international law, the European Parliament launched a "diplomatic attack" against Azerbaijan. The West is using the traditional “Armenian card” as an excuse for diplomatic pressure and threats of sanctions. In this direction, 2 main theses are put forward against official Baku.
One of these is related to Azerbaijan’s alleged pressure against the Armenian residents of Garabagh, and their leaving the region. However, shattering this thesis does not even require serious research.
From the beginning, Azerbaijan unveiled the reintegration plan for the Armenian residents of Garabagh and did it clearly and transparently. The antiterror measures which were carried out against the background of continuous military provocations were held extremely precisely, civilians were not harmed, but their food and clothing needs were met. It was in front of the world that the Armenians left Garabagh voluntarily. In that case, blaming Azerbaijan which carried out anti-terror measures in its sovereign territory, with ethnic cleansing in Garabagh, does not make sense. European politicians who are making these accusations know this well.
Another argument is about the fact that Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing to attack Armenia. It has been several months that French President Emmanuel Macron and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell have been actively circulating this disinformation which has been spreading. Conveyed in the context of Armenia's rapid armament, these viewpoints lack substantiation and are disseminated deliberately.
It is not coincidental that the previous day President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed these points while receiving the delegation led by the Executive Director of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy Michael Harms.
"Let's take Ukraine. Ukraine seeks to restore its territorial integrity. Germany and other countries are sending weapons to Ukraine. You all declare that Ukraine must ensure its territorial integrity. But what about our territorial integrity?! Is our issue less important than the issue of Ukraine? "Unfortunately, we are witnessing attempts to establish divisive lines in the South Caucasus.”, " the President asked a question addressed to all of Europe.
The head of state gave a final answer to the claims that Azerbaijan allegedly attacked Armenia: "Thus, Borrell said that if Azerbaijan attacks Armenia, it will see bitter consequences. First of all, where did Borrel get this information that Azerbaijan is planning to attack Armenia? We have no such plans. They are Mr. Macron's insinuations. All this is part of France's anti-Azerbaijani policy based on the demonization of our country in connection with the alleged preparation of Azerbaijan to attack Armenia."
As it can be seen the President responded to the biased resolution of the European Parliament in advance and destroyed his arguments. After all this, the adoption of the resolution reveals that this step was a foregone conclusion.
On the other hand, to understand why the EU Parliament stubbornly shows prejudice against Azerbaijan, it is necessary to pay attention to one more point.
It should be noted that there is no unanimous negative opinion against Azerbaijan in the European Parliament. Only one group of parliamentarians is behind the anti-Azerbaijani hysteria. Those MPs who mainly represent France are representatives of Islamophobic, racist, crusader, and Turkophobic circles that are related to the Armenian diaspora or exist in Europe. These "crusaders" who have a neocolonial mindset still think of themselves as the imperialists of the 19th century and the other side as their colonies.
Some of them are trying to get financial and voter support from the Armenian lobby before the European Parliament elections. In particular, Kaspar Karapetyan, a Greek citizen of Armenian origin living in Brussels, whose name is involved in money laundering and financial fraud, supports corrupt European deputies in this case. Karapetyan, who is engaged in the diamond business, is even trying to interfere in the general agenda of the European Union by using a group of deputies he has captured, and not include the diamond business in the EU's 13th package of sanctions against Russia, as it is not in line with his business interests. Thus, some members of the European Parliament, who did not learn from the bribery scandal related to the former vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kayli, fell into Kaspar Karapetyan's money trap this time.
But in any case, as before, Azerbaijan will continue to follow the path it knows to be right and will respond appropriately to all the false and baseless claims against it. Azerbaijan has no obligation to the European Union or the European Parliament, official Brussels cannot force Azerbaijan to do anything contrary to its will or threaten with sanctions. The sooner the European Parliament, France and some EU officials realize this, the better it will be for bilateral relations and regional stability.