No:338/24, Response by Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the local media inquiry regarding the claims in the International Security Chapter of the Government Program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands published on 13 September 2024
Question: On 13 September 2024 the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands presented a program setting out its plans for its current term of office. The International Security Chapter of this Program noting the flared-up conflicts, labels the liberation of Azerbaijani territories as the “takeover of the Nagorno-Karabakh.” What is your opinion about this position?
Answer: Unfortunately, the Dutch side on another occasion has been demonstrating a biased approach vis-à-vis Azerbaijan and the post-conflict situation in the region.
First and foremost, it is unacceptable that this country has identified the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan as a “takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh.” Karabakh region has always been an integral part of our country and was under the illegal occupation of Armenia for nearly 30 years. Turning a blind eye by the Netherlands to this illegal act of Armenia is regretful. Azerbaijan’s measures to liberate these territories were a solemn right of our country based on the norms and principles of international law that could not be misjudged this or another way.
Moreover, we resolutely reject the misnaming of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan with fake names as “Nagorno-Karabakh.” This is just another blatant manifestation of the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. We once again reiterate that there is no administrative or geographic unit in Azerbaijan called as “Nagorno Karabakh”, and every state and organization has to refer to the geographic names in the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan standardized by the relevant authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan that is also accepted within the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.
We call on the Dutch side to put an end to such statements that further undermine the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands and hinder the future development of the region based on respect for the norms and principles of international law.