BAKU: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has declined an EU-hosted meeting with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, scheduled for this week due to European support for Yerevan, said a government official to Western media on Wednesday.
Just two weeks ago, President Aliyev initiated a one-day offensive operation that led to Azerbaijan regaining control of the pro-Armenian separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The proposed talks aimed to bring together the leaders of these two long-standing rivals from the Caucasus region, and it was intended to occur on the sidelines of an EU summit in Spain. France, Germany, and the European Council were mediating the discussions.
An Azerbaijani government official stated, “Azerbaijan did not consider it necessary to participate in negotiations in this format.” President Aliyev opted not to attend due to “pro-Armenian statements by French officials,” as well as statements regarding the supply of military equipment and cooperation to Yerevan. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna had announced the delivery of military equipment to Armenia during her visit to the country, though specific details were not disclosed.
Azerbaijan Prefers Turkey for Talks with Armenia
Furthermore, President Aliyev’s decision was influenced by “accusations made yesterday by EU Council President Charles Michel,” the official added. The official mentioned a perceived “anti-Azerbaijani atmosphere” and noted that Azerbaijan had preferred the meeting to take place in Turkey, which is considered an ally. Ankara had previously expressed support for Azerbaijan’s one-day offensive.
Charles Michel, who has facilitated multiple meetings between the two nations in recent years, had criticized Azerbaijan’s offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.
It’s important to note that following a swift offensive by Azerbaijani forces in September 2023, most of the Armenian population had left the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh republic. The separatist authorities in the region had announced its dissolution, set to take effect on January 1, 2024. The area had unilaterally declared independence in 1991 with the backing of Armenia, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Over the course of three decades, Nagorno-Karabakh separatists resisted Azerbaijan, notably during the first Karabakh war from 1988 to 1994 and the second in 2020. However, the international community never formally recognized the self-proclaimed republic.
