No:412/24, Commentary by MFA Spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada on the baseless resolutions of the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the biased views of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp
We strongly reject yet another two anti-Azerbaijani resolutions adopted by the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 10 October. At the same time, expression of support by the Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp during his speech in support of these biased resolutions, and calls for the release of the representatives of the former separatist regime and terrorists arrested by Azerbaijan identifying them as the “prisoners of war” are unacceptable.
It is regrettable that the military occupation against our country and the ethnic cleansing of the population of Azerbaijan as well as Armenia’s still ongoing territorial claims against Azerbaijan are completely ignored in the mentioned documents and opinion.
The Dutch side, who overlooked war crimes such as the destruction, insult, and appropriation of our cultural and religious heritage, as well as the illegal removal of cultural properties from our country by Armenia during the military aggression against Azerbaijan and the occupation of our lands, and contrary to the Hague Convention of 1954, has no moral right to claim that our country has allegedly targeted the Armenian monuments based on false propaganda by the Armenians.
Moreover, the distortion of the aims and objectives of local anti-terror measures carried out by Azerbaijan in September last year in the opinions expressed by the Foreign Minister is a clear example of double standards against our country. We would like to remind once again that these measures are aimed at eliminating military threats against Azerbaijan and ending the existence of illegal military units.
The persons mentioned in the claims of the Dutch side as “prisoners of war” are people accused of separatism, committing premeditated murder, torture, terror acts and other crimes against humanity on the territory of Azerbaijan. Of course, Azerbaijan has both the right and the international obligation to bring these individuals to justice under international law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, and domestic legislation. Therefore, all opinions voiced against Azerbaijan in the mentioned matter are of no importance.
We call on the Dutch side to abandon its unilateral position, which is against the peace in the region and creates tension in Azerbaijan-Netherlands relations.