Baku expresses official protest against Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union unless Azerbaijani “territorial integrity” is restored, according to the head of presidential department for public and political issues.

"It is well known that the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia is noted in relevant resolutions and decisions of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations, and the demand for liberating the occupied territories has been put forward," Ali Hasanov said. "Therefore, Armenia's accession to the Customs Union or a similar structure is only possible after liberation of Azerbaijan's occupied lands."

We quoted Hasanov to yet again point out Azeri efforts to prevent Armenia’s integration into the international community. The statement proves what has long been known: Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev’s remarks were meant to promote Baku’s interests:

"Though with reservation, Kazakhstan is ready to sign a roadmap on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union, Nazarbayev said. As he noted at the December 24 Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) sitting, Kazakhstan demands clarification on the issue of the CU borders in connection with the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Belarus President Alexader Lukashenko expressed a similar stance.

Meanwhile, Hasanov would do well to remember that Armenia is a member of the UN, OSCE, CoE and a number of other international organizations, which never used the Karabakh issue as a precondition for accepting the country. Perhaps the absence of pro-Azeri Presidents was of some help here. In any case, it’s not for Azeri leadership to decide on terms of Armenia’s accession to whatever organization it may chose to join. Also, Baku better avoid depicting its allies in a very unfavorable light.