BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 18. The Azerbaijani Parliament has issued a statement condemning the biased stance taken by the National Council of the Parliament of Switzerland.
TurkicWorld presents the statement issued by the Parliament to our readers:
"The Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its regret over the adoption of a proposal on December 17 by the National Council, the lower house of the Swiss Parliament, to hold an international peace forum on the non-existent ‘conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.’ The proposal also includes the Swiss government's support for organizing a similar conference to facilitate the return of Armenian residents who voluntarily left this region of Azerbaijan.
Pro-Armenian members of the Swiss National Council are well aware that Karabakh is an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as recognized by international law and affirmed in various UN Security Council resolutions and documents from other international organizations. In the fall of 2020, the results of the 44-day Patriotic War ended Armenia's 30-year occupation of this territory, and in September of the following year, Azerbaijan restored its state sovereignty in the region following a one-day anti-terrorist operation. The armed aggression that caused significant damage to Azerbaijan is now a thing of the past. Conditions are now in place for the return of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons, who had been forcibly removed as a result of brutal ethnic cleansing. The Azerbaijani government is currently engaged in extensive efforts to restore and reintegrate the territories that were devastated during the occupation.
Currently, bilateral negotiations are underway between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia to normalize relations, with some progress already made. It is clear that any international initiatives and actions must be objective, align with the current realities in the region, and adhere to the legal framework that ensures sovereignty and territorial integrity. Initiatives and actions that do not consider the will of the parties involved or are not agreed upon with them may undermine the normalization process.
One of the most regrettable aspects is that pro-Armenian members of the Swiss National Council, who have put forward absurd claims about the voluntary withdrawal of Armenians from Karabakh and accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing and destroying cultural heritage, chose to remain silent about the rights of the hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who were expelled or forcibly deported from their native lands in this country in the late 1980s, both during Armenia’s armed aggression against Azerbaijan and prior to that. During the entire 30-year occupation, Swiss parliamentarians failed to respond to the destruction of Azerbaijani cities and villages, the obliteration of national, cultural, and historical heritage, and the transformation of 750,000 Azerbaijanis into refugees in their own country. On the contrary, in support of Armenian interests, they have disregarded Switzerland's neutral stance and even attempted to steer Swiss policy on Azerbaijan in a different direction. This biased position, which reflects double standards, is absolutely unacceptable.
The Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan deems it necessary to highlight that the vote of 80 members of the Swiss National Council against the proposed resolution, with 16 abstentions, and the adoption of the proposal with 96 votes in favor, demonstrates that there are members of the National Council who objectively assess the ongoing processes in the South Caucasus and show fairness towards Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, their voices often go unheard.
The Azerbaijani Parliament values the objective stance of the Swiss government on this issue. We believe that the recommendation made by the Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, on behalf of the government to reject the proposed resolution reflects Switzerland’s commitment to the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty and underscores the country’s balanced approach in adhering to international law while maintaining its neutrality.
Given that the proposal adopted by the Swiss National Council will be presented for discussion in the Council of States, the Parliament urges members of the upper house to avoid a unilateral approach to this matter and reject the proposal, as it could harm relations between Azerbaijan and Switzerland.
The Parliament of Azerbaijan calls on all member states of the international community to refrain from initiatives and actions that may obstruct efforts to achieve long-term peace and stability in the South Caucasus and to uphold the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of states."
