BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. The French magazine Charlie Hebdo published an article directed against Azerbaijan.
The article notes that Azerbaijan allegedly, using the war in Ukraine, creates a threat to Armenia and the Armenians living in Karabakh. Therefore, it is necessary for the Armenians to mobilize, otherwise Armenia and Karabakh will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Also in this article, Armenia and Karabakh are called an obstacle to the geopolitical plan that will connect Azerbaijan and Türkiye with Central Asia.
Obviously, the attitude of the French magazine to the processes in the South Caucasus is no different from the position of the official Paris.
So what is really going on between Azerbaijan and Armenia? Are processes unfolding the way Charlie Hebdo writes about it?
The author of the article claims that Azerbaijan, using the war in Ukraine, oppresses Armenia. This statement is at least strange, and right from the first paragraph one gets the feeling that the author, to put it mildly, is out of touch. Well, or not very closely following what is happening in the region. Or is he simply fulfilling the order of the French authorities? Well, at least he should have known that relations between Baku and Yerevan were tense many, many years before the war in Ukraine. That the tension, which lasted for almost 30 years, is based on the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is trying to resolve the issue within the framework of international law. Baku is the winner of the war and the right side, and does not need to use any geopolitical processes. Despite this, Baku currently stands for peace in the region, and Armenia continues to jeopardize its security by presenting territorial claims to Azerbaijan.
The French magazine, whose office is located thousands of kilometers from Yerevan, is concerned that Armenia and Karabakh will be wiped off the face of the earth. I wonder if the Charlie Hebdo magazine, which calls on the French today to mobilize in support of the Armenians, published material or a cartoon on acts of vandalism committed in the cities of Azerbaijan, did it write articles about our cities razed to the ground, about mass graves of civilians executed by Armenians? Naturally, no. Well, because that's how French-style democracy works, and a French magazine cannot go beyond the official position of Paris.
The article also contains allegations that Baku poses a "threat" to Armenians in Karabakh. In fact, Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that Armenians in Karabakh are citizens of our country and will be provided with all rights in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan. The Armenians in Karabakh are threatened not by Azerbaijan, but by the unconstructive position of official Paris. Because at the moment when Azerbaijan is close to concluding a peace treaty with Armenia and recognizing the civil rights and freedoms of Armenians in Karabakh, Paris is trying to disrupt this process, which inspires Yerevan and the separatists in Karabakh to new provocations. And the growth of tension calls into question the future of peaceful Armenians in Karabakh, complicates their living conditions.
Charlie Hebdo argues that Armenia and Karabakh are obstacles to a geopolitical plan that will connect Azerbaijan and Türkiye to Central Asia. There is a biased attitude of the editorial board (Paris) to the processes in the region, however, the author reluctantly, indirectly admits that Armenia is an obstacle to the projects that are planned to be implemented in the region. Indeed, the number one obstacle to the implementation of global economic projects planned in the South Caucasus is Armenia and its games around Karabakh. The tripartite statement, signed on November 10, 2020, clearly states that Armenia must create conditions for the opening of the Zangezur corridor, which will connect the western regions of Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan. Despite the fact that official Yerevan assumed these obligations, for two years now it has been slowing down, and often torpedoing, the process of normalization in the region. This prevents the opening of the road that will connect Azerbaijan and Türkiye with Central Asia, as well as the western regions of the country with Nakhchivan.
And Charlie Hebdo, by the way, is at hand and publishes an article full of stupid statements, but fully consistent with the general line of Paris. And this once again confirms the reputation of Paris - to approach the processes in the region solely within the framework of its own interests, without taking into account the fair position of other parties.
A vivid example of this is the unfounded accusations made at the very end of last year in the UN Security Council under the direct "conduction" of Paris in connection with the situation on the Lachin road. Judging by everything, Paris, which suffered a crushing defeat as a result of Azerbaijan's calculated diplomatic maneuvers, already prefers to speak the language of marginal Charlie Hebdo.
The course of events shows that official Baku is not interested in the position of either the French authorities or the media writing on demand, such as Charlie Hebdo. Azerbaijan is taking all steps in accordance with the norms of international law and the tripartite statement of 10 November. For this reason, official Baku will soon achieve its goals related to both Karabakh and the Zangezur corridor.