Elkhan Suleymanov sends two letters two letters to MEPs over biased resolution against Azerbaijan

Chair of the Azerbaijan Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Elkhan Suleymanov has sent two letters to members of the European Parliament regarding biased anti-Azerbaijani resolution.

In one of his letters, Chair of the Azerbaijan Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly has expressed gratitude to MEPs supporting friendship and cooperation with Azerbaijan: "It seems that once again, slander has prevailed over truth, and lies over cooperation and the European Parliament has unfortunately adopted another grossly biased urgency resolution against Azerbaijan. However, we are heartened to see so many MEPs like you who understood that the only way to solve problems and crises is through cooperation and dialogue and not baseless attacks.

For your position, faced with the unprecedented campaign of disinformation against Azerbaijan, for understanding that the fates of our country and Europe are and should be tied together, in friendship, we wish to deeply thank you! We believe you chose the correct stance on the matter and we appreciate this.

You have succeeded in showing that despite a certain anti-Azeri bias in the European Parliament, there are still those who are interested more in truth and reason. Your position can only benefit both our sides. Azerbaijan is a strong, flourishing country, with a dynamic youth and a modern outlook. Its citizens are free, and its laws strong and well respected – by everyone, starting with the government. Its judicial system functions in line with international standards. If any citizen, no matter their profession or political affiliation, is found guilty of breaching the law, they are sentenced accordingly.

Our country has, it is true, problems. Suffering under 23 years of armed aggression and occupation, having a large internal refugee population, and placed in a recently very complicated region serve indeed to create a difficult situation in Azerbaijan. We actually need you cooperation and assistance. We need to establish better trade partnerships, scholarships, cultural cooperation, and also your support in any way in what concerns the Armenian occupation. And we are also open to work together with you, in various frameworks, including Euronest, to solve common issues.

We want to address a call to you, after events like the recent resolution. Whenever you are faced with the slanders and accusations which come so often against us, do not hesitate to contact us for clarifications. We will be always interested in providing all possible information on the realities in Azerbaijan. Only through such open and frank dialogue can we avoid the alienation some politicians in Europe so strongly want to impose on us."

The other letter was sent to MEPs - Marietje Schaake, Ulrike Lunacek – and other MEPs supporting an anti-Azerbaijani campaign.

The letter reads: You have succeeded, once again and despite all common sense, to push through the Plenary of your House a slanderous and aggressive attack against Azerbaijan, EU-Azeri relations and, in the end, the very interests of the EU citizens you claim to defend. Ignoring reality and using half-truths, disinformation and relying of fabrication and lies, you filled up a document with accusations which, you probably hope, will serve to alienate Azerbaijan, push it far from the path of development and stability and endanger its integration in Europe and the global community.

We are positive that you will be disappointed. Azerbaijan is a strong, flourishing country, with a dynamic youth and a modern outlook. Its citizens are free, and its laws strong and well respected – by everyone, starting with the government. Its judicial system functions in line with international standards. If any citizen, no matter their profession or political affiliation, is found guilty of breaching the law, they are sentenced accordingly, just like in your countries. Tax evasionists are not considered political prisoners in the Netherlands or Austria, nor in Azerbaijan. If you would have taken the time to dialogue with us on every single case you quoted, we could have provided you with the factual reality.

But you probably are already aware of this, just as you are aware that continuously asking for the release of duly sentenced persons is considered interference in the judicial system. You are also aware that many other of the issues named or called for in your resolution either have no basis or are outright absurd.

Because the truth, it seems, is that you care very little about Azerbaijan or Azeri citizens. Claiming their best-interest at heart, you actually lobby for a cease in cooperation and negotiation between the EU and our country, something which would only serve to harm those Azerbaijanis involved in studying or cooperating in the European Union. You event want sanctions which would only serve to harm our people! You, who so vigorously defended Ukraine, another country living a territory under occupation, talk at length about inexistent "crackdowns" yet you completely fail to address truly the pressing concerns of Azerbaijanis.

Namely, living with an enemy army occupying their lands, taking shots daily at their fellow citizens, forcing them in hundreds of thousands to be refugees and internally displaced persons. You, who claim to care, what have you done, at least once, to deal with this crisis that is plaguing us for 21 years?

Well, what it seems you like to do is accuse, accuse, draft irrelevant documents where you make judgments about elections which haven’t even yet happened. This behavior serves to underline your blind strategy to attack our country. It is unfortunate, but in the end it matters little. There are many other European politicians who see reason and the reality: that the future of Europe and of Azerbaijan is closely tied together!