Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Criticizes US for Double Standards
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent remarks on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, calling them biased and misrepresentative of the reality in the country.
In a statement published on the ministry’s website, spokesperson Ayhan Hajizade condemned Blinken’s December 11, 2024, comments as an attempt to interfere in Azerbaijan’s judicial processes. “We strongly reject and denounce the Secretary of State’s statement, which distorts the actual state of human rights and freedoms in our country,” Hajizade stated.
The ministry also blamed the US State Department’s actions for what it described as a deterioration in Azerbaijani-American relations over the past four years, citing alleged interference in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs. Hajizade further criticized what he termed “double standards” in Washington’s approach, claiming that such policies have hindered US engagement in the South Caucasus.
“We hope that the new American administration will restore relations of mutual friendship and partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States,” he added.
The US Secretary of State’s earlier statement had urged the Azerbaijani government to release detainees, cease repression of civil society, uphold human rights, and honor its commitments under the OSCE framework.
This is not the first instance of tension between the two nations. In September, Azerbaijan accused the US Congress of misrepresenting facts about the country, alleging that these distortions were aimed at straining bilateral relations further.
