In recent days we have seen a new wave of smear campaigns against Azerbaijan. On the eve of COP29, which is a significant event not only for our country, but for the entire region, what is the last hope or simply invisibility?
“Caspian” newspaper article on the subject.
The main objective of the COP, held on the basis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is to focus the world’s attention on environmental problems. The COP is held annually in a country in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Oceania and Europe. Within Europe itself, the candidate continent is conventionally determined by the principle of rotation between the representatives of the western and eastern parts. Since the order is in Eastern Europe, the choice of countries representing this geography fell to Azerbaijan.
Last year, when the COP29 venue was chosen, along with Azerbaijan, Armenia was also nominated. According to the agreement reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia on December 7, 2023, official Yerevan expressed support for Baku’s candidacy. This agreement is considered a revolutionary event not only for the COP, but for the peace process between the two countries as a whole. Because it was later that we witnessed with special intensity the continuation of the negotiations, the possibility of definitive peace being signed within the framework of the climate conference and, of course, the expression of wishes. Efforts to achieve peace between the parties within the framework of COP29 are most actively demonstrated by official Washington.
Yerevan is likely to be represented in Baku by Foreign Ministry head Ararat Mirzoyan. Two days ago he announced that there are only “1 or 2 formal points left” for definitive peace. According to Mirzoyan, there is “cautious optimism” in the direction of the parties reaching complete peace.
Two aspects of COP29-related propaganda, which has intensified against Azerbaijan in recent months by pressure groups and media outlets funded by the Armenian diaspora, as well as the Armenian media, are particularly noteworthy: Firstly, how can Azerbaijan host an authorized event on climate change? When is it an oil country? Secondly, COP29 should not be held in Baku because Azerbaijan does not release “Armenian captives”.
The COP has been held since 1995. If you look at the list of the 28 previous hosts, you can see that so far the conference has been held in oil-producing countries, as well as in countries that consume the most oil. Oil corporations of countries with the world’s leading economies are leaders in the process of production, transportation and processing of energy carriers and cause the greatest damage to the environment. These countries are the biggest catalysts of climate change. To this day, the United States does not adhere to some of the agreements reached at previous COP conferences or has reservations on individual points. In such a case, many questions arise as to why the media, which are the “pioneers” of the “black PR” campaign against Azerbaijan, represent these countries.
Taking advantage of its opportunities in the European Parliament, Paris is at the front line of this campaign through its Azerbaijan-phobic deputies. French parliamentarians try to slander and defame Baku on all issues they know and do not know. This view is often ironic. Because the real lack of information and the bias of the people who have been representing the parliament of a country like France for years is an insult to serious politics and struggle. The French make slanderous speeches, but not a single one of their European colleagues, who look at them with their mouths open, bothers to ask: What can be said about the damage to the world’s climate and biodiversity as a consequence of the nuclear tests of France in the open sea?
Another issue that worries pro-Armenian “human rights defenders”, including partial organizations such as “Human Rights Watch” from the perspective of COP29, is the fate of “Armenian captives”. It is known why such institutions, which have taken up the protection of the concept of human rights as human rights, consider separatist criminals “captives”, whose hands are covered with the blood of thousands of Azerbaijanis, based on what criteria. A year has passed since the arrest of the leaders of the separatist junta, but so far neither a self-respecting international organization nor a state official has made any appeal to Azerbaijan on this issue. Except France, of course. The ambassador of this country to Armenia, Olivier Decotinyi, recently said: “Azerbaijan is obliged to allow Armenians to return to Karabakh. As the organizer of COP29, Azerbaijan attracts international attention, which creates special international obligations. At the current stage , its main responsibility is to conclude a peace treaty with Armenia.”
We are not interested in which educational institution the French ambassador studied diplomacy, but in history, the victorious state has never had the responsibility of signing a peace treaty with the defeated. The real responsibility is that this ridiculous claim is made by a diplomat from a country that has committed atrocities against people, murders and genocides in various parts of Africa and Asia. The 2015 Paris conference holds a special place in the history of the COP due to the importance of the decisions made. On the eve of the Paris COP, were there accusations against France for the bloody atrocities it committed in its colonies in Africa? I wonder if the decisions made about the climate had any effect on France’s colonial policy.
The main issue that worries circles working for the Armenian diaspora, countries like France, which fear the Turks and Azerbaijan, is that they see COP29 as the last opportunity for their demands to be paid attention.
