"Zatulin's baseless views on Azerbaijan are a clear indicator of his political illiteracy and lack of seriousness. The only way to ensure lasting peace and cooperation in the region is to accept the new realities created by Azerbaijan in the region. The recent statements by Konstantin Zatulin, a deputy of the Russian State Duma, published in the “Moskovskiy Komsomolets” newspaper, once again demonstrate that some political circles are unwilling to accept the new realities formed in the region and are deliberately trying to create distorted narratives for this purpose".
This was stated by Shahin Ismayilov, Chairman of the Youth and Sports Committee of the Milli Majlis, in a statement to Modern.az.
The deputy noted that all the achievements Azerbaijan has made today are based on the independent policy wisely determined by President Ilham Aliyev. Projects implemented through the initiatives and decisions of the President of Azerbaijan make significant contributions not only to the development of our country but also to the entire region. In this regard, Zatulin's presentation of the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia as “partners” is a completely wrong and unacceptable approach. This directly stems from Zatulin's political illiteracy.
“I would like to remind K. Zatulin, who has always tried to cast a shadow on Azerbaijan and the historical achievements of our country based on orders received from various circles, that the former Minsk Group, represented by the OSCE and Russia, could not put an end to Armenia's occupation policy for approximately 30 years and took no steps to resolve the issue. Not once did it call Armenia an occupier. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani people restored justice through their own strength, expelling Armenian armed forces from their historical lands. Today, peace is being established in the region through Azerbaijan's initiative. From this perspective, the claims made by the deputy of the Russian State Duma are completely contrary to real facts. His use of baseless statements regarding Azerbaijan is political irresponsibility”, - the committee chairman emphasized.
Shahin Ismayilov stated that K. Zatulin presented facts related to our recent history by falsifying them to the public, adding that the voluntary departure of residents of Armenian origin from Karabakh occurred before the eyes of the international community. The Azerbaijani state took all necessary steps regarding the reintegration, rights, and security of these individuals and made repeated calls in this regard. However, the departure of residents of Armenian origin settled in historical Azerbaijani lands from Karabakh was their own decision. The Azerbaijani state also ensured that this process was carried out in accordance with international legal norms and in safe conditions. On the other hand, he claims that 120,000 residents of Armenian origin supposedly left Karabakh. Zatulin, either knowingly or unknowingly, presents this figure inflated by more than double.
“In short, Zatulin's biased views and fabricated claims are nothing more than rhetoric aimed at denying the new geopolitical realities formed in the region. Azerbaijan has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no force is capable of changing this reality. Zatulin's views, accompanied by elements of political manipulation and cheap populism, are a manifestation of his image as an unserious politician. Such “politicians,” acting in the interests of various circles, are incapable of conducting objective political analysis”- the committee chairman concluded.
