EAFJD criticizes resumption of EU-Azerbaijan talks amid rights abuses

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) issued a statement in response to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, the new head of EU diplomacy, over the resumption of negotiations between the EU and Azerbaijan on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

«We are deeply concerned that the head of EU diplomacy appears to ignore Azerbaijan’s genocidal policy regarding ethnic cleansing of Armenians and its growing hostile rhetoric towards the EU,» the Federation stated, reports Aravot.am .

The Federation emphasized that Kallas must take into account the European Parliament’s clear and consistent stance expressed since 2018. On numerous occasions, the Parliament has declared that deepening EU-Azerbaijan relations cannot proceed as long as Azerbaijan continues to violate human rights and refuses to recognize the rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Several members of national parliaments across Europe and the European Parliament criticized Kallas’s visit to Baku, noting that she chose to visit authoritarian Azerbaijan while bypassing Armenia, a country committed to democratic values and facing continuous threats from Azerbaijan. They viewed this choice as a disregard for Armenia’s democratic path.