BAKU—Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed recent remarks by Peter Stano, European Union Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, regarding the EU’s mission in Armenia, labeling them as baseless and a misuse of the mission’s mandate.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to Stano’s comments, which were made in answer to questions from Armenian news agency Armenpress about the EU mission’s mandate and Armenia’s militarization. Hajizada criticized the expansion of the mission’s mandate, suggesting it has been turned into a tool of anti-Azerbaijani propaganda rather than fostering peace and normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He accused the EU mission of failing to consider Azerbaijan’s interests and undermining the peace process by portraying Azerbaijan as a threat to Armenia.

Furthermore, Hajizada highlighted concerns over Armenia’s militarization, alleging that it threatens Azerbaijan’s national security. He pointed out that despite Armenia’s long-standing policy of aggression and territorial claims, the EU spokesperson’s statements seem to support Armenia’s military enhancements, including the acquisition of strategic offensive weapons, which he claimed escalates regional tension.

Hajizada emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to sustainable peace and stability in the region based on international law and called for preventing actions that threaten peace.