BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 26. The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands has exposed the Armenian fake regarding the meeting of Azerbaijani Ambassador to this country Rahman Mustafayev with Mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb, the embassy told Trend.
The Armenian media has earlier spread the fake news that, allegedly during the meeting with the Azerbaijani ambassador, the Rotterdam mayor abruptly criticized the "encroachment on Armenia" and called for "unblocking" the Lachin-Khankendi road.
"Given the untrue claims spread by the Armenian media about the Azerbaijani ambassador's meeting with the Rotterdam mayor on December 20, 2022 and the alleged criticism of Azerbaijan during the meeting, the press service of the embassy deems necessary to say that this meeting, held upon the initiative of the Azerbaijani ambassador, was dedicated to the development of bilateral economic, investment, educational, and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Rotterdam," said the embassy.
According to the statement, neither political issues nor a peaceful protest on the Lachin-Khankendi road [being held against the illicit exploitation of Azerbaijan's mineral resources in the area of Russian peacekeepers' temporary deployment] were touched upon at the meeting.
"There was no hint of any criticism of anyone during the meeting, which took place in a friendly and benevolent ambiance. On the other hand, the mayor, who paid an official visit to Baku in November 2013, made several important initiatives aimed at further developing bilateral collaboration," the statement added.
As for the post-Karabakh conflict period, the embassy noted that Ambassador Mustafayev showed the Rotterdam mayor and his delegation members the "Karabakh – before and after the occupation" album, primarily photographs of demolished Aghdam. Meanwhile, the ambassador pointed out that Rotterdam was also ruthlessly destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, like Aghdam, and that the practice of the Netherlands in restoring the destroyed Rotterdam could be useful for the restoration of Aghdam.
"Considering the foregoing conclusions, the embassy urges the Armenian community of the Netherlands to stop dreaming and use their energy not for provocations, but to promote the establishment of peace and good neighborly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The destructive political activity of the Armenian community will not interfere with the further advancement of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands. The embassy intends to develop Azerbaijan's comprehensive relations with Rotterdam and other cities of the Netherlands," the statement said.