azertag.az
On 18 December, in an interview with the ‘All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company’ (ARSTRBC) and ‘RIA Novosti’ President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a substantial reference to criticism of the West's policy towards Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus region.
According to him, the Biden administration has gone down in history as obsessive - it wants to help in the wrong places. ‘Here they have such a structure - USAID, which wants to help. But for some reason to help not where we need it,’ Aliyev said.
‘Russia was right to ban USAID in the country,’ he added.
‘We are adults after all, we understand everything. That's why we have streamlined it all. For example, Azerbaijani media cannot be financed by foreign sources even by 1 %.
Well, what for? We do not finance media in the USA, and why should they finance our media? They are already pouring mud on our people, our country and casting a shadow on our victory with Armenia through their handy resources such as 'Voice of America' and 'Radio Liberty,’ Aliyev said.
He further recalled the campaign against Azerbaijan in the Western media due to the COP29 climate conference. In this regard, he called the 'Washington Post', 'New York Times', 'Figaro' and 'Monde' as the ‘lying four’.
Aliyev also accused the US and France of arming Armenia. France's supply of offensive weapons to Armenia threatens Azerbaijan. ‘This means a direct threat, which we have repeatedly spoken about both publicly and in my talks with the Armenian Prime Minister, bringing our concerns to him,’ the Azerbaijani leader stressed.
Baku brought the same concern to the French government and the US leadership.
‘We have repeatedly conveyed to Armenia and its patrons in the US State Department that this should be stopped. But, unfortunately, we have not been heard. The process of arming Armenia is ongoing with seven-mile steps,’ Aliyev noted.
According to him, due to Armenia's militarisation Azerbaijan is also forced to arm itself and next year $5 billion has been allocated for defence expenditures from the state budget, while Baku could spend a significant part of these expenditures on the restoration of the territories liberated from occupation.
However, Armenia is unable to sustain the arms race. Nevertheless, the US and France will not help Armenia if there is a provocation against Azerbaijan
Aliyev further called Russia a ‘reliable partner’ of Azerbaijan. Russia and Azerbaijan are two reliable partners, he said. In difficult times for our countries we have always demonstrated understanding of the situation and behaved in a friendly manner. I am confident that this will be the case in the future,’ he continued.
Aliyev added that Azerbaijan will resume arms purchases from Russia as soon as ‘the Russian ‘Oboronprom’ is ready’ and wished Putin's team ‘determination’ in minimising the negative consequences of the sanctions policy.
Aliyev went on to criticise French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of establishing a ‘dictatorship’. France ‘illegally holds’ Mayotte and New Caledonia, and Baku is ‘rooting with all its soul for the disenfranchised peoples’.
To Aliyev's mind, the Macron government's ‘megalomania’ has ‘destroyed’ relations with Azerbaijan.
Aliyev also accused Macron of interfering in Georgia's affairs. According to him, ‘Macron's ears stick out’ from the protests in Georgia as well. ‘If a man cannot sit in his own country, he must poke in Georgia,’ Aliyev said.
Politics
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On December 18, the Baku Appeals Court rejected the appeal by economist and scholar Gubad Ibadoglu, challenging the decision to maintain his travel ban. Ibadoglu’s defense team had requested the lifting of the ban so that he could accept an invitation to attend the Sakharov Prize award ceremony at the European Parliament on December 17. Ibadoglu was one of the finalists for the prize, but the Narimanov District Court on December 3 had denied this request.
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On December 18, a number of pro-government media outlets reported the arrest of former diplomat Ramiz Valiyev, who had held key positions in several Azerbaijani embassies abroad. "It has been revealed that Ramiz Valiyev, who worked in senior positions at Azerbaijan's embassies in foreign countries, is suspected of abusing his authority, according to the investigative body of the State Security Service," the article states. Valiyev is further accused of anti-government activities and cooperation with foreign entities.
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On December 18, the Supreme Court reviewed the appeal of Avaz Zeynalli, founder of the online platform Xural TV, and Elnur Shukurov, head of the YouTube channel Sada TV. "Avaz Zeynalli rejected all accusations, stating that he is being persecuted for his journalistic activities. He reminded that he had already been convicted once for accepting a bribe, but the European Court had ruled that conviction unlawful," Zeynalli's lawyer, Fahraddin Mehdiyev, said in a statement to Turan. The Supreme Court has reduced Zeynalli's prison sentence by only 2 months. He was originally sentenced to 9 years in prison.
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President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on 17 December, in Strasbourg, at the ceremony of awarding the Andrey Sakharov Prize, reiterated her call to drop charges against one of the finalists of the award, economist Gubad Ibadoglu.
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