PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is not a province of Azerbaijan where Baku can dictate verdicts, said Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of the Hayastan faction and representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), commenting on a statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry demanding that Armenia "hold accountable those who burned the Turkish flag during the Torchlight March."
He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan is openly interfering in Armenia's internal affairs by demanding that Armenian citizens be punished for actions that took place during the march.
"It is clear that the administrator of Baku's dreams is now in power in Armenia and, alongside the enemy, condemns national actions carried out within the country. But even under these circumstances, there must be limits to such arrogance.
One can only imagine how critically Armenia's sovereignty has been undermined when an aggressive neighboring state issues instructions to Armenia's state system at the level of its foreign ministry. This is direct proof that Baku no longer views Armenia as an independent state.
It is understandable that any mention of the Genocide is traumatic for Azerbaijan, as it mirrors its own similar crimes. However, identifying so closely with Turkey as to assume responsibility for the Armenian Genocide by demanding punishment for participants of a commemorative action is excessive even for a state like Azerbaijan.
This is no longer just about a flag. It is about who decides what is permissible in our country.
But the decisions of Baku and Ankara apply to Nikol's regime, not to our people and national forces," he wrote.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that "the Armenian government should have prevented" the burning of the Turkish flag during the Torchlight March and taken appropriate security measures. "It is unacceptable to justify such actions by referring to democratic norms and freedom of speech," the statement said. Baku called on Armenian authorities to hold accountable those involved in the incident.
Source: PanArmenian.Net
