The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has responded sharply to remarks made in the Government Program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, published on 13 September 2024, where the liberation of Azerbaijani territories was labeled as the “takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Aykhan Hajizada, the spokesperson of the Azerbaijani MFA, expressed disappointment over what he described as a biased and uninformed position taken by the Dutch government regarding the post-conflict situation in the region. He emphasized that Karabakh has always been an integral part of Azerbaijan and had been illegally occupied by Armenia for nearly 30 years.
“It is unacceptable to refer to the liberation of these territories as a ‘takeover.’ Azerbaijan acted within its legitimate rights based on international law to restore its sovereignty over its own lands,” Hajizada stated.
The spokesperson also rejected the use of the term “Nagorno-Karabakh,” pointing out that no such administrative or geographical unit exists in Azerbaijan. He reiterated that all international actors, including the Netherlands, should respect the official geographical names as recognized by the United Nations and other international bodies.
Azerbaijan called on the Netherlands to refrain from making further statements that undermine bilateral relations and hinder the region’s development in accordance with international law.
