Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, sharply criticized Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Frank Pallone in a statement on the X platform for their actions and remarks following their visit to Baku. According to Hajiyev, the statements of the American politicians are highly distorted and align with the interests of the Armenian lobby.
Hajiyev emphasized that he met with Senator Ed Markey at Markey’s request. During the meeting, he reminded the senator of the tragic events of the Khojaly genocide and the unjust adoption of the 907th Amendment by the U.S. Congress, which discriminated against Azerbaijan. Hajiyev also pointed out that during the 30 years of Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the ethnic cleansing of over one million Azerbaijanis, neither Markey nor his colleagues spoke out for justice. Instead, they supported Armenia’s aggression.
“For decades, the Armenian lobby in the U.S. has created a politically toxic environment, justifying crimes and blocking any attempts to achieve peace. Today, we are taking steps towards peaceful coexistence in the region, but some U.S. lawmakers, incited by the Armenian lobby, continue to hinder progress and attempt to drag us back into the past,” Hajiyev said.
He also noted that investigations into crimes committed by war criminals and their accomplices, including Ruben Vardanyan, who engaged in money laundering and supported separatism, will be brought to a logical conclusion, and the perpetrators will face justice.
Regarding Congressman Frank Pallone, Hajiyev highlighted that Pallone may have experienced “moral distress” while observing from his hotel window the Trophy Park, showcasing the destroyed equipment of the Armenian army, and the Victory Parade dedicated to Azerbaijan’s success.
Hajiyev added that President Ilham Aliyev did not meet with Pallone, stating that the congressman “does not deserve such a dialogue.” He also mentioned that during Pallone’s visit, Azerbaijani citizens, including internally displaced persons and families of martyrs, held peaceful protests expressing their disapproval of the congressman’s policies.
“Frank Pallone is lying, and his attempt to stage a show in Azerbaijan failed. Instead, he faced questions from journalists about his funding from the Armenian lobby, which left him flustered,” Hajiyev said.
In conclusion, Hajiyev quoted: “People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election.”
