Ambassador Elin Suleymanov urges Western journalists to abandon negative narratives against Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Elin Suleymanov has called on Western journalists to abandon negative narratives against Azerbaijan.

In his letter addressed to response a biased article published by the Guardian, Ambassdor Suleymanov noted that Azerbaijan and Armenia, for the first time since gaining independence, have reached a very important agreement towards normalizing relations.

“The border delimitation agreement between the two countries was highly praised by the international community and supported by the leadership of both countries, but the inappropriately negative tone of the article published in The Guardian newspaper does not reflect the current reality,” the letter said.

“Moreover, he (the author - Patrick Wintour) fails to mention that the main reason for hostilities and instability over the years was the 30-year illegal occupation of the internationally recognized Azerbaijani lands by Armenia. So much so, that Mr Wintour described the return of four Azerbaijani villages previously occupied by Armenia and clearly located in Azerbaijan, as acknowledged by all existing maps and even Armenian officials, as 'ceded' to Azerbaijan,” the diplomat noted.

“Mr Wintour is right, however, about Armenia’s history of perpetual and futile search for allies outside the region, while a lasting peace requires normalization with immediate neighbors. He is also correct to quote an ethnic Armenian resident of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region referring to separatists urging local Armenians to leave by stoking fears and ethnic division.”

“Perhaps, it is time to abandon narratives of doom and gloom, and support the remarkable progress that Azerbaijan and Armenia are making towards peace,” Ambassador Suleymanov added.

News.Az