The Azerbaijan-Austria Working Group on Inter-Parliamentary Relations protests categorically against the lopsided declaration which the Parliament of Austria adopted on 19 October 2023 and which fails to reflect objectively developments in our region whilst contradicting international law principles and the neutral position of the Republic of Austria. We strongly deplore the very adoption of this declaration as an act targeting the efforts made to build trust and peace in the region. It was not taken into account when this declaration was composed that civil population had not suffered in the course of the anti-terrorist measures Azerbaijan had carried out within her own sovereign territory, nor that the residents of Garabagh of Armenian background had travelled to Armenia of their own accord. Furthermore, it had failed to reference to the fact that Azerbaijan aids in every way the people who chose not to leave Garabagh, that a special portal had been created for the reintegration process and that the Administration of the President of Azerbaijan had announced a dedicated plan of reintegration. The aforementioned declaration quotes no relevant truth and holds no demonstrable facts. Neither is it specific as to the erstwhile regional conflict having been rooted in Armenia’s territorial claims to Azerbaijan, the claims which were followed by an armed intervention in our country and an occupation of a portion of her territory as well as ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population.

All those points and facts, duly accompanied with proof and evidence, were communicated to Members of the Parliament of Austria at a meeting held with them on 18 October 2023. Also, all the questions of interest to the Austrian parliamentarians were answered there and then.

We, the Azerbaijan-Austria Working Group on Inter-Parliamentary Relations, utterly refute such an unfair attitude shown to our country. We rather believe that declarations of this ilk provoke the revanchist powers in Armenia to take action against Azerbaijan and in no manner conceivable serve the process of normalising the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.