Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.15
Trend:
The resolution of the European Parliament on Azerbaijan is completely baseless, and is a political provocation built on lie, slander and biased attitude, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Sept. 15.
"We know which forces stand behind this," he added, responding to journalists' questions at a press conference held in Baku jointly with the Czech Republic's President Milos Zeman.
"Those forces have previously repeatedly brought up baseless accusations against Azerbaijan, and have blackmailed us," the president said.
Ilham Aliyev added that those forces' sole aim is to tarnish and discredit the developing, modern, tolerant Azerbaijan - a homeland of multiculturalism, pursuing an independent policy, and to form a false opinion about Azerbaijan in Europe, which completely contradicts the truth.
"Certainly, here we see the role of the Armenian lobby as well and I believe that it won't be bad if the relevant law enforcement agencies of Europe investigate the secret relations between the European Parliament members and the Armenian lobbyists," said Aliyev.
He noted that some MPs who actively participate in these nefarious activities against Azerbaijan have repeatedly illegally visited the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh which is the integral part of Azerbaijan and thereby, grossly violated Azerbaijan's laws.
"Meanwhile, I want to say once again that unfortunately, today, an anti-Azerbaijani group has been created in Europe, especially, in the European Parliament and this group tries to do everything possible to defame Azerbaijan and tarnish its image," the president said.
"For us, for me as a president, the resolution adopted by the European Parliament is no more than a piece of paper," said Aliyev. "I do not attach any importance to it and of course, condemn it."
Azerbaijani president said that the adopted resolution will have no impact on Azerbaijan's will, and won't affect the country's position.
"I want to say to the foreign circles wishing to subjugate Azerbaijan that all their efforts are in vain."
No foreign force can put pressure on Azerbaijan's independent policy, based on national interests, by blackmailing and slandering it, said the president.
The president said that the reaction of Azerbaijani parliament was expectable.
"Because, the Azerbaijani parliament expressed its attitude as an independent structure, many MPs expressed their opinion and there was nothing but truth in their words," said Aliyev.
"First, before accusing someone, take a look in the mirror," he said.
Today, the fate of the refugees heading from the Middle East to Europe for the whole world to see is clear, according to the president.
"Those people are the victims of foreign intervention, and their countries were destroyed and razed to the ground," said the president. "Who did this? Foreign forces have destroyed those countries, violated those countries' territorial integrity, killed hundreds of thousands of people, and millions have lost their relatives."
"And after this, being unable to bear these intolerable conditions, people began to come to Europe. And look what is waiting for them in Europe - Islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia. Are these the European values? It would be better if the European Parliament dealt with these issues," he stressed.
President Aliyev also noted that today there is a process of loosening of the European values.
"Europe has always seemed to us in our region as a progressive, modern and tolerant area," he further said. "But, unfortunately, today we see it in very rare cases."
The president added that today the aggressive circles, which interfere in other countries' affairs and have virtually lost their tolerance, unfortunately dominate the European Parliament and some other structures.
"Therefore, I once again want to say that the Azerbaijani parliament's decision is fully grounded," he said.
"As it is known, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly was envisaged as a parliamentary assembly-type structure between the European Parliament and the Eastern Partnership countries," said President Aliyev, adding that if there are any issues with regard to any country, they could be considered as part of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
"However, the Euronest has actually turned into an amorphous force and doesn't carry out any activity. In such a case, of course, the parliament of Azerbaijan suspends its activities in the Euronest," said the president.
He added that this is a sovereign right of the parliament of Azerbaijan.
"And at the same time, you probably know that the cooperation between the European Parliament and the parliament of Azerbaijan has been already suspended," he said.
"These are the results of the nefarious campaign conducted against us. Azerbaijan responds and will continue to respond adequately to every step taken with regard to it," said Azerbaijan's president.