Baku protests over document signed between Yerevan and EU

Azerbaijan expressed protest against the inclusion in the document signed between Armenia and the European Union of individuals “accused of war crimes” being referred to as prisoners.

“It is unacceptable that this bilateral document, which defines the strategic priorities between the EU and Armenia for the next seven years, addresses issues concerning Azerbaijan, and this also negatively impacts the prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU. The use of the phrase ‘Karabakh Armenians displaced as a result of Azerbaijan’s military operations’ in the introductory part of the document and in several other sections—referring to Armenian residents who voluntarily migrated from our country to Armenia after rejecting the reintegration plan presented by Azerbaijan—and designating this issue as a partnership priority between the EU and Armenia, as well as classifying these individuals as ‘refugees,’ is a clear example of bias against Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, in the section on the EU’s possible contribution to regional normalization, the document explicitly mentions support for the full, immediate, and effective implementation of all relevant decisions of the International Court of Justice, which clearly refers to Armenia’s well-known claims against Azerbaijan. The inclusion of persons of Armenian origin, accused and convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes, in the list of ‘prisoners’ and highlighting their release as a separate priority is a serious distortion of reality and unacceptable,” the statement reads.