Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared that the criticisms made by the Azerbaijani president to the European Parliament at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan were “an example of sovereign foreign policy.”
“In Yerevan, I witnessed an example of sovereign foreign policy, this time from Azerbaijan, whose president strongly criticized the European Parliament regarding a series of statements and resolutions adopted against his country,” Fico said in a video filmed aboard the government plane on his return from Moscow.
According to him, Ilham Aliev “told the truth”: “President Aliev told the truth when he stated that the European Parliament should primarily deal with European issues instead of spreading lies and meddling in the affairs of others.”
The Slovak Prime Minister emphasized that he was sending the same message to the European Parliament on behalf of Slovakia, referring to the recent “unfortunate move” adopted by the European institution, proposing that the European Commission stop granting European funds to Bratislava.
Ilham Aliev responded to these statements in a message published on X, thanking his Slovak counterpart for his “sincere and valuable” remarks about Azerbaijan. “I highly appreciate our partnership,” Aliev said.
Participating by video conference in the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, the Azerbaijani president once again criticized the European Parliament and the Council of Europe for their “pro-Armenian resolutions” and “provocative actions.”
A few days before the summit, the European Parliament had adopted a resolution on Armenia condemning “the unjust detention by Azerbaijan of Armenian prisoners of war, detainees, and hostages,” demanding their immediate and unconditional release.
The text also addressed the right of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh to return, as well as the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage.
Reprinted with permission from RFE/RL Copyright(c)2007 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.1201 Connecticut Ave, t N.W. Washington DC 20
