London: Gunel Salimova, Counsellor of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the UK, has addressed a letter to The Guardian titled 'As Azerbaijan and Armenia work towards peace, this film paints a misleading picture', regarding the newspaper's review of The Black Garden, a documentary directed by an Armenian filmmaker.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the letter challenges Phuong Le's review of the film, asserting that The Black Garden presents a highly nationalistic perspective. While acknowledging the human cost of the former conflict, Salimova emphasizes the impact on Azerbaijan, citing thousands killed, approximately 4,000 missing, and around 1 million internally displaced persons and refugees, alongside significant economic and social consequences.
The conflict, as recalled in the letter, originated from Armenia's occupation of Garabagh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, following a military invasion by Armenian forces in the 1990s. The United Nations Security Council had repeatedly called for an end to the occupation. In 2020, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, yet the human cost persists with landmines from the occupation years continuing to harm civilians. Between 2020 and 2026, 436 individuals have been either killed or injured due to mine explosions.
Salimova criticizes the timing of both the film and the article, arguing that they overlook the opportunity for lasting peace between the two nations. She highlights the progress made by Azerbaijan and Armenia toward durable peace, noting increased trade, regular meetings between border delimitation commissions, and rising confidence-building measures.
Recent discussions between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders have underscored the benefits of peace, including Azerbaijani exports to Armenia and the transit of goods through Azerbaijan. They have also explored potentially transformative connectivity projects for the broader region. The letter argues that such developments deserve attention over stories that may foster division.