It’s clear that Western ambitions to establish a foothold in the South Caucasus region, after several failed attempts thanks to Baku’s efforts, will not go unanswered. Azerbaijan’s highly independent and self-determined policies clearly irritate certain circles in the U.S. and Europe. And so, the overseas initiators of the anti-Azerbaijani hysteria are working tirelessly, sparing neither effort nor voice.
Azerbaijan’s progress in political and social spheres unnerves the West, prompting them to push parasitic and destructive initiatives and strategies against our country. In the minds of European and American policymakers, if Baku refuses to dance to their tune, it must be slandered, discredited, and undermined. Western forces are doing everything possible to create chaos in the South Caucasus. It should be noted that, while they may have the will, they lack the power to influence Azerbaijan’s decisions or bend its will, so the champions of “democracy” and “human rights” have cast their nets in Armenia.
Armenia, of course, is much more receptive to external influences and agendas, as the country lacks true sovereignty. In this regard, the vulnerable groups that Western forces sought in Azerbaijan but failed to find have been conveniently identified in Hayastan. Through their Islamophobic policies and with the direct backing of the Armenian lobby, Western actors are attempting to suppress Baku’s rising influence and stature by intensifying their efforts to isolate Azerbaijan.
They criticize Azerbaijan’s elections, claim human rights violations, object to Baku’s decisions regarding its internationally recognized territories, and so on. Yet, Azerbaijan has long developed a strong armor, and all attempts to undermine it inevitably fail.
As COP29 draws near, the hateful narrative against Azerbaijan in Western media is gaining momentum. The West has long enjoyed engaging in competitions of slander towards Azerbaijan. Judging by their persistence, it seems they have little else to occupy their time with, as the unending anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric has yet to reach its peak. Pro-Armenian forces, funded by the Armenian lobby, are playing a particularly active role in this process. These relentless money-spenders are skilled in convincing their patrons that their investments are not in vain, especially in this age of legendary grievances from Western circles towards Azerbaijan.
Moreover, one cannot ignore the possibility that one of the underlying reasons for the continuous assaults on Baku is that certain developed countries are seeking to avoid taking on new financial commitments in the realm of climate action, hoping to shirk the increased funding expected of them by the global community.
Thus, Azerbaijan serves as a clear example of the West’s new hybrid warfare model, in which publications targeting the country, often penned under Armenian authorship, have become increasingly frequent.
Alla Zeydullayeva
Translated from minval.az
