Azerbaijani President Aliyev. (Source: News.am)
BAKU (News.am) — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs of religious discrimination.
Referring to the results of PACE voting and the calls of the mediators before the voting, Aliyev stated:
“I’m very sorry that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who should immediately deal with the given issue [of Karabakh conflict], strive not for its settlement, but conflict freezing. Their current activity is absolutely senseless. They not only refrain from pressing Armenia, but also protect it from possible problems. Look at what their provocative activity at the recent Council of Europe hearings has resulted in. The question is: who do they think they are? Does this mean they will put pressure on all international organizations? And give instructions to all international organizations?”
”The Council of Europe is an international organization. There certainly are different people there. [Among them] are those who have an anti-Azerbaijani stance, and also quite many Islamophobes. There are also those who express complete solidarity with Armenia, being connected with the Armenian lobbying. I know this: I used to be the member of the organization. But this organization has now put this issue on the agenda. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs are putting pressure on them so that this issue isn’t considered. Due to this very provocative activity, we lacked 4 votes for the adoption of the resolution,” he noted.
“I said and am saying this in their face, I speak about this openly today so that the public knows as well: It is mostly due to their fault that the issue isn’t solved. Why? Because double standards are applied. For what reason? There is no answer to this question. This is also a kind of tactic. When the question isn’t acceptable, it isn’t answered. But we know the answer – double standards. The religious factor plays a role here. We are Muslims, that’s why we are treated from the position of double standards. Especially nowadays, when the Ispalomophopbia in Europe has reached its peak,” Aliyev concluded.
Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan has made a statement, warning a number of websites on liability for disseminating “false” information on national protests in the country’s regions this January.
Specifically, Jam.az, Qaynar-media and Pia.az have been accused of disseminating lies. “These media outlets have been required to put an end to their publications on slanderous and false information. In case of ignoring these requirements, the Prosecutor General’s Office will take more serious measures,” the statement reads. The authority made another similar warning to the website Qaynar.info.
As last time, the Prosecutor General’s Office has referred to the conclusions made by the Azerbaijan Press Council on the basis of media monitoring in January.
The aforementioned media outlets have also been accused of making provocative appeals and informing on coming protests in different cities.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Aliyev Accuses OSCE Minsk Group of Religious Discrimination
