Commentary by Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on allegations in the report of the group led by former Danish Prime Minister and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

We strongly condemn and reject the anti-Azerbaijani allegations in the report called “Deepening EU-Armenia relations: More Europe in Armenia; More Armenia in Europe” dated 21 March 2024, prepared by the Friends of Armenia Network, a group led by former Danish Prime Minister and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The slanderous and completely groundless provisions, with all the facts distorted, are part of the smear campaign against Azerbaijan. They raise serious questions about the report that is purported to be deepening relations between Armenia and the European Union. In fact, it is nothing but an absurd piece of propaganda.

Moreover, the launch of the report on the eve of April 5th US-EU-Armenia trilateral conference by the mentioned Armenian lobby group, which is driven by a lucrative deal struck with the Armenian government to propagate pro-Armenian narratives, is actually exposing the true intention behind the mentioned report and of the former officials co-signed this report.

Financial documents available from open sources prove that Anders Rasmussen continues to misuse his status of the former NATO Secretary General in order to promote his lobbying company “RasmussenGlobal” and provide dubious lobbying and influencing services. The Government of the Republic of Armenia as his client has paid hundreds of thousands USD for this “rubber stamp” report.

Interestingly, some of the co-authors of the report, where Azerbaijan is accused of threatening Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, were close witnesses of the occupation and ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijan by Armenia, a country that they so enthusiastically defend.

We are of utmost belief that the one-sided stance and complete disregard of facts not only encourages revanchist groups in Armenia to take more radical position against Azerbaijan, but also creates an illusion in the society that the “West” does support Armenia’s non-constructive stance in the peace process.

Armenian Government-funded propaganda campaigns once again demonstrate lack of sincerity of the Armenian side with regard to regional peace agenda.

Conducting expensive and futile slander campaigns through certain narrow-minded politicians, including within the European institutions such as the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, does not serve the regional stability and peace-building efforts. Instead, the Government of Armenia and the Armenian lobby groups must focus on promoting a genuine peace agenda in the region.