ArmInfo.Threatening remarks by European Commission Vice- President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell are a stark example of double standards, said Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada, Trend reports.
"We categorically reject the baseless charges made against Azerbaijan by Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, during the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council on January 22, 2024. The EU High Representative's apparent distortion of facts is an open contempt for Azerbaijan's legitimate interests, and such threatening rhetoric is a clear example of double standards that exacerbates Azerbaijan-EU ties," he said.
Hajizada emphasized that, while fully distorting the thoughts of Azerbaijan's President about the historical facts related to the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the High Representative is instigating militarization and aggressive policy towards Azerbaijan.
"Notwithstanding the fact that the international community has failed to make any effort to persuade Armenia to act in line with the norms and principles of international law, Azerbaijan has always been committed to negotiations, peace, and stability with Armenia. Azerbaijan's measures ending aggression and separatism pave the way for concluding a peace agreement with Armenia," the spokesperson said.
Furthermore, according to Hajizada, the EU Representative's expressed solidarity with France about the expulsion of diplomats is tantamount to justifying the illegal actions of expelled French diplomats in Azerbaijan while being a clear intervention in the continuing legal investigation process.
"Such a biased statement, while ignoring baseless measures against Azerbaijan's diplomats in France, demonstrates how this institution is negatively affected by certain countries, which openly neglect all the rules and guidelines of diplomatic conduct and refuse to conduct an investigation into the case. Azerbaijan, besides being committed to its international obligations and international law, will resolutely prevent attempts to legitimize any claims and threatening language against its national interest," the MFA spokesperson added.
"The latest territorial claims by President Aliyev are very concerning, and any violation of Armenia's territorial integrity would be unacceptable and will have severe consequences for our relations with Azerbaijan," the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, which discussed the Armenia and Azerbaijan normalization process.
"We agreed that Azerbaijan needs to return to substantive peace and normalization talks with Armenia," Borrell added.
Citing the November 9, 2020 agreement, Aliyev, earlier this month, renewed his claims for a so-called "corridor" through Armenia, saying that without such a route he would not open Azerbaijan's borders with Armenia.
When making his "corridor" remarks, Aliyev also renewed his demand for Armenia's withdrawal from "eight Azerbaijani villages," which he claims Armenia is occupying.