Who is behind the black PR campaign against Azerbaijan ahead of COP29? asks Anastasia Lavrina

From November 11th to 22nd, Azerbaijan will host one of the most significant events of the year, the 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

Baku had only 11 months to prepare, but the government successfully met this challenge. The country is ready to welcome tens of thousands of guests, including experts, government officials, and heads of state.

The Paris Agreement of 2015 united the efforts of leading world powers in the fight against climate change. However, nine years later, Baku is set to become an effective platform for discussing climate finance.

Furthermore, 127 countries have supported Azerbaijan’s initiative for a ceasefire during COP29. Notably, Armenia withdrew its candidacy to host COP29 in favor of Azerbaijan’s bid. Baku has invited all countries, including Armenia, to participate in the conference.

Many view this as a positive sign for the normalization of relations between two countries that have been in conflict for nearly three decades.

However, certain forces benefit from instability in the South Caucasus and are interested in igniting a new war. Specifically, this includes the Armenian diaspora and their lobby in various Western countries, who openly oppose peace in the Caucasus and attempt to tarnish Azerbaijan’s image.

With less than a month remaining until COP29, social media and certain Western media outlets are exhibiting a negative trend against Azerbaijan, imbued with a distinct political undertone. This campaign, aimed at undermining Azerbaijan’s reputation, involves disinformation, fact distortion, and manipulation of public opinion.

In the context of recent events concerning the arrests of separatists from Karabakh, there is a proliferation of misinformation regarding alleged ethnic cleansing.

Such narratives often rely on exaggeration or misrepresentation of facts, as well as emotional manipulation regarding the conflict. While attention is drawn to the arrests of separatists, information regarding their involvement in war planning, violations of international law, terrorism, and other crimes is conveniently overlooked.

The self-proclaimed “Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh” has never been recognized by any country, including Armenia, and the separatist regime there has been deemed illegal.

By framing the voluntary decision of Armenians to leave Karabakh as ethnic cleansing, the Armenian lobby seeks to discredit Azerbaijan in the eyes of the international community.

This narrative lacks support in the report of the official UN mission that visited the region immediately after these events in 2023. On the contrary, the mission noted the absence of damage to civilian infrastructure and any violence against civilians.

The influential Armenian diaspora has engaged lobbyists to disseminate black propaganda against Azerbaijan in an effort to derail the successful conduct of COP29 in Baku, which could serve as a significant opportunity for achieving a peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan.

Freedom House, an organization well-known in certain circles, where Annie Boyajian serves as Vice President, prepared a report titled “Why Are There No Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh?”

Notably, none of the statements address the fact that not all Armenians have left Karabakh; some have remained and accepted Azerbaijani citizenship. For Armenians wishing to return, it is sufficient to accept Azerbaijani citizenship.

Considering that ethnic Armenians lived in Azerbaijan even during the conflict and that an Armenian church operate in Baku, there is little basis to doubt Azerbaijan’s genuine intentions. Conversely, no Azerbaijanis have resided in Armenia for many years, with hundreds of thousands forcibly deported at the beginning of the conflict.

The Armenian lobby in both chambers of the U.S. Congress has significantly intensified its activities, proposing legislative initiatives calling for sanctions against Azerbaijan and attempting to secure a multi-million dollar aid package for Armenia.

The main organizer of this campaign is the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Utilizing followers and lobbyists on social media, an active campaign against Azerbaijan has been launched. The Armenian diaspora in France has also joined this effort, along with a bot army that automatically generates anti-Azerbaijani posts based on pre-programmed statements.

One of the key objectives of COP29 is to find a compromise between the interests of developed and developing countries to protect the environment. Azerbaijan has restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity under complex geopolitical conditions and has almost immediately begun working towards a peace agreement with Armenia.

By attempting to tarnish Azerbaijan’s image, the Armenian lobby is solely pursuing its political goals.

The conference will take place regardless, but whether it serves as a catalyst for the long-awaited peace in the region is a question that Armenia itself must primarily consider.