Head of EU Delegation in Azerbaijan Malena Mard summoned to Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Baku, September 12, AZERTAC In response to a European Parliament resolution adopted on Thursday, Head of EU Delegation in Azerbaijan Malena Mard was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev, in discussing the resolution with Mard, called the resolution “biased and destructive,” and a blow to Azerbaijan-EU relations. Mr. Mammadguliyev said: 'We strongly condemn the adoption of EP resolution dated on September 10, on Azerbaijan. This biased and destructive document undermines the relations between EU and Azerbaijan and creates serious obstacle for their future prospect. Hasty adoption of this resolution through quick voting by the plenary without prior and proper deliberations in the respective committees highlighted some procedural shortcomings which were also challenged by some EP members in the plenary. The Resolution is full of biased and distorted information on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. It specifically politicizes the individual criminal cases and raises ungrounded accusations as to their real substance.” “Also European Parliament’s constant selective approach towards Azerbaijan demonstrates that human rights issues are used as a tool to exert politically motivated pressure on Azerbaijan. But the EP members should know that such attempts are doomed to failure from the very inception. Abusive language used in certain provisions of the Resolution goes beyond the ethical norms and crosses the “red line”. Absurd and silly accusations directed against our country are totally unacceptable and seriously undermine the credibility of the Institution. The groundless calls for targeted sanctions and visa bans can in no way be tolerated. This clearly testifies that the adoption of such a document is in the interest of a narrow circle of concerned forces whose sole aim is to damage the growing international reputation of Azerbaijan.” He said: “At the same time, the term “Nagorno Karabakh” used in Resolution is contrary to international law and unacceptable either. It is surprising to see continuous attention by EP to human rights situation in Azerbaijan whereas the European continent is confronted with a number of serious challenges requiring urgent solution. We think it would be more appropriate for the European Parliament to pay necessary attention to the systematic human rights violations in the EU member states, such as excessive use of force, ill-treatment by law enforcement agencies, discrimination and intolerance, Islamophobia, corruption, migration issues etc, reported by United Nations human rights mechanisms, the Council of Europe, OSCE, and other international organizations.” “It is also disappointing that the European Commission did not take serious attempts to prevent the European Parliament from voting such a deplorable resolution. On the contrary, recent statements by the high-ranking officials of the European Commission rendered their own negative contribution to this,” he added. Malena Mard said that position of Azerbaijan will be delivered to relevant bodies of the European Union.